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Purchased  by  the  Hamill  Missionary  Fund. 


Division 


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V.2 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2016 


https://archive.org/details/hildrethsjapanas02hild_0 


“JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS” 

A HANDBOOK  OF  OLD  JAPAN 

II 


Uniform  with  this  Work 


A HANDBOOK  OF  MODERN  JAPAN. 
By  Ernest  W.  Clement.  With  two 
maps  and  seventy-two  illustrations  from 
photographs.  Sixth  edition.  Price, 
$1.40  net. 


A.  C.  McClurg  & Co. 
Chicago 


From  Official  History  of  Japan 


"R  \ cM (x. r A n i ! d re  .Vi 

Hildreths 

“Japan  as  it  Was  and  Is” 

A HANDBOOK  OF  OLD  JAPAN 

EDITED,  WITH  SUPPLEMENTARY  NOTES,  BY 

ERNEST  W.  CLEMENT 

AUTHOR  OF  “A  HANDBOOK  OF  MODERN  JAPAN,”  ETC. 
INTRODUCTION  RY 

WM.  ELLIOT  GRIFFIS 


With  One  Hundred  I limitations  and  Maps 
Volume  II 


CHICAGO 

A.  C.  McCLURG  & CO. 

1906 


Copyright 

A.  C.  McClurg  & Co. 
1906 


Published  September  29,  1906 


THE  UNIVERSITY  PRESS,  CAMBRIDGE,  U.  S.  A. 


CONTENTS 


Volume  II 

CHAPTER  XXXII 

Post  ■ Houses  — Imperial  Messengers  — Inns  — Houses  — Their 
Furniture  and  Interior  Arrangements  — Bathing  and  Sweating 
House  — Gardens  — Refreshment  Houses  — What  they  Pro- 
vide— Tea 


CHAPTER  XXXIII 

Number  of  People  on  the  Road  — Princely  Retinues  — Pilgrims  to 
Ise — Junrei  Pilgrims  — Naked  Devotees — Religious  Beggars 
— Begging  Order  of  Nuns  — Yama-bushi,  or  Mountain  Priests 
— Buddhist  Beggars  — Singular  Bell-Chiming  — Hucksters 
and  Peddlers  — Courtesans 

CHAPTER  XXXIV 

Departure  from  Nagasaki  — Train  of  the  Dutch  — The  Day's 
Journey  — Treatment  of  the  Dutch  — Respect  shown  them  in 
the  Island  of  Shinto  — Care  with  which  they  are  watched  — 
Inns  at  which  they  lodge  — Their  Reception  and  Treatment 
there  — Politeness  of  the  Japanese  — Lucky  and  Unlucky 
Days  — Seimei,  the  Astrologer 

CHAPTER  XXXV 

From  Nagasaki  to  Kokura  — Shimonoseki  — Water  Journey  to 
Osaka  — Description  of  that  City  — Its  Castle  — Interview 
with  the  Governors  — From  Osaka  to  Miyako  — Jodo  and  its 
Castle  — Fushimi  — Entrance  into  Miyako  — Visit  to  the  Chief 
Justice  and  the  Governors  — Description  of  Miyako — Palace 
of  the  Dairi  — Castle — Manufactures  and  Trade  — Authority 
of  the  Chief  Justice  — Police  — Crimes 


VI 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  XXXVI 

_ Paob 

Lake  Otsu  — Mount  Hiei[zan]  — Japanese  Legends  — A Japanese 
Patent  Medicine  — Ivwannon  — Miya  — Arai  — Policy  of  the 
Emperors  — Kakegavva  — A Town  on  Fire  — Suruga — Kuno 

— Passage  of  a Rapid  River  — Fuji-no-jama,  or  Mount  Fuji 

— Crossing  the  Peninsula  of  Izu  — Second  Searching  Place  — 
Purgatory  Lake  — Odawara  — Coast  of  the  Bay  of  Yedo  — 

A Live  Saint  — Kanagawa  — Shinagawa  — Yedo  — Imperial 
Castles  and  Palace 07 


CHAPTER  XXXVII 

Personages  to  be  visited  — Visit  to  the  Emperor  — First  Audience 

— Second  Audience  — Visit  to  the  Houses  of  the  Councillors 

— Visits  to  the  Governors  of  Yedo  and  the  Temple  Lords — Visit 
to  the  Houses  of  the  Governors  of  Nagasaki  — Audience  of 
Leave  — Return  — Visits  to  Temples  in  the  Vicinity  of  Miyako 

— A.  D.  1691-1692  85 


CHAPTER  XXXVIII 

Further  Decline  of  the  Dutch  Trade  — Degradation  of  the 
Japanese  Coins  — The  Dutch  threaten  to  withdraw  from  Japan 

— Restrictions  on  the  Chinese  Trade — Probable  Cause  of  the 
Policy  adopted  by  the  Japanese  — Drain  of  the  Precious  Metals 

— New  Basis  upon  which  Future  Trade  must  be  arranged  . . 109 

CHAPTER  XXXIX 

Thunberg’s  Visit  to  Japan  — Searches  and  Examinations — Smug- 
gling — Interpreters  — Deshima  — Imports  and  Exports  — Uni- 
corn’s Horn  and  Ginseng  — Soy  — The  Dutch  at  Deshima 

— Japanese  Mistresses  — Japanese  Women  — Studying  the 
Language  — Botanizing  — Clocks  — New  Year’s  Day  — 
Trampling  on  Images  — Departure  for  Yedo  — Journey  through 
the  Island  of  Shimo — Japanese  Houses  and  Furniture  — 
Manufacture  of  Paper  — Practice  of  Bathing  — Shimonoseki 

— Voyage  to  Osaka  — Children  — From  Osaka  to  Miyako 

— Agriculture  — Animals  — A.  D.  1775-1770  114 

CHAPTER  XL 

Japanese  Merchants  — Journey  from  Miyako  to  Yedo  — Botany  of 
the  Mountains  — Rainy  Weather — Coverings  for  the  Head  and 
Feet — Yedo — Astronomers  and  Physicians  — Acupuncture  — 

Moxa  [A/oywsa]  — Other  Japanese  Remedies  — Method  of 


CONTENTS 


vi  l 

Paoh 


wearing  the  Hair  — Visits  to  the  Emperor  and  his  Chief  Officers 

— Japanese  Dress — Books  and  Maps  — Succession  of  Emperors 

— Departure  from  Yedo  — Gnats  — Fire-Flies  — Threshing  — 
Vegetables  and  Fruits  — Condition  of  the  Japanese  Farmer  — 
Casting  Copper  — Actors  and  Dancers  — Thunberg’s  Opinion  of 

the  Japanese  — A.  D.  1775-1776  139 

CHAPTER  XLI 

Isaac  Titsingh — His  Residence  in  Japan — Translations  from  the 
Japanese  — Annals  of  the  Dairi  — Memoirs  of  the  Shogun  — 
Liberal  Ideas  in  Japan  — Marriage  Ceremonies  — Funeral  Cere- 
monies — Mourning  — Feast  of  Lanterns  — A.  D.  1779-1791  163 

CHAPTER  XLII 

Exploration  of  the  Northern  Japanese  Seas  — First  Russian  Mission 
to  Japan  — Professorship  of  Japanese  at  Irkutsk  — New  Restric- 
tions on  the  Dutch  — Embarrassments  growing  out  of  the  War 
of  the  French  Revolution  — American  Flag  at  Nagasaki  — 
Captain  Stewart  — Ingenuity  of  a Japanese  Fisherman  — I leer 
Doeff,  Director  at  Deshima  — Suspicious  Proceedings  of  Captain 
Stewart — Russian  Embassy  — Klaproth’s  Knowledge  of  Japan- 
ese — Doeff's  First  Jourppy  to  Yedo  — Dutch  Trade  in  180-1  and 
1806  — An  American  Ship  at  Nagasaki  — The  British  Frigate 
“Phaeton”  — No  Ships  from  Batavia  — The  Dutch  on  Short 
Allowance  — English  Ships  from  Batavia  — Communication 
again  suspended  — Dutch  and  Japanese  Dictionary  — Children 
at  the  Factory  — A.  I).  1792-1817  190 

CHAPTER  XLIII 

Golownin’s  Capture  and  Imprisonment — Conveyance  to  Hakodate — 
Reception  and  Imprisonment  — Interpreters — Interviews  with 
the  Governor  — Removal  to  Matsumae  — A Pupil  in  Russian 

— A Japanese  Astronomer  — Escape  and  Recapture  — Treat- 
ment afterwards  — Savants  from  Yedo — Japanese  Science  — 
European  News  — A Japanese  Free-Thinker  — Soldiers  — Their 
Amusements  — Thoughts  on  a Wedding — Domestic  Arrange- 
ments — New  Year  — Return  of  the  “ Diana  ” — Reprisals  — A 
Japanese  Merchant  and  his  Female  Friend  — Second  Return  of 
the  “Diana”  — Third  Return  of  the  “Diana”  — Interview  on 
Shore  — Surrender  of  the  Prisoners  — Japanese  Notification 

— The  Merchant  at  Home  — The  Merchant  Class  in  Japan 

— A.  D.  1811-1813 212 


CONTENTS 


viii 


CHAPTER  XLIV 

Page 

Renewal  of  the  Dutch  Trade  — Captain  Gordon  in  the  Bay  of  Ycdo 
- — Fisscher — Meylan  — Siebold  — British  Mutineers  — Voyage 
of  the  “ Morrison  ” — Japanese  Edict  — The  “ Saramang  ” at 
Nagasaki — The  “ Mercator  ” in  the  Bay  of  Yedo  — Commodore 
Biddle  in  the  Bay  of  Yedo  — Shipwrecked  Americans  — French 
Ships  of  War  at  Nagasaki  — The  “ Preble  ” at  Nagasaki  — Sur- 
veying Ship  “ Mariner  ” in  the  Bays  of  Yedo  and  Shimoda 

— New  Notification  through  the  Dutch — A.  D.  1817-1850  . . 245 

CHAPTER  XLV 

Foieign  Relations  — New  Shogun  — Dutch  Trade  — Chinese  Trade 

— American  Embassy  — Its  Object  — Letter  to  the  Emperor  — 
Perry’s  First  Visit  to  the  Bay  of  Yedo  — Death  of  the  Shogun 

— Perry’s  Second  Visit  to  the  Bay  of  Yedo  — Negotiation  of  a 
Treaty  — The  Treaty  as  agreed  to  — Shimoda — Hakodate  — 
Additional  Regulations  — Japanese  Currency  — Burrow’s  Visit 
to  the  Bay  of  Yedo — Third  Visit  of  the  American  Steamers  — 
Russian  and  English  Negotiations  — Exchange  of  Ratifications 

— Earthquake 274 

CHAPTER  XLVI 


New  Dutch  Treaty  — Mr.  Harris,  American  Consul  at  Shimoda  — 

His  Convention  with  the  Japanese  — His  Journey  to  Yedo  — 
Second  Visit  to  Yedo  — Conditional  Treaty  — British  Treaty 
— French  and  Russian  Treaties  — Japanese  Embassies  to  the 
United  States  — A.  D.  1854-1800  325 


APPENDIX 

Note  A — Provinces  by  Circuits 343 

“ B — Bibliography 344 

“ C — Use  of  Fire-Arms  in  the  East 346 

“ D — Fernam  Mendez  Pinto 348 

“ E — Earliest  English  and  Dutch  Adventurers  in  the  East  — 

Goa 350 

“ F — Japanese  Daring  and  Adventure  Exterior  to  the  Limits 

of  Japan 353 

“ G — List  of  Japanese  Year  Periods 357 

“ II  — Chronological  Table  of  Emperors  and  Empresses  . . . 300 

“ I — Omitted  Documents 302 


INDEX 


369 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 


Volume  II 


Procession  of  Feudal  Lords 

A Scene  in  a Tea  Garden 

A Native  Postman  ; Toko-no-ma 

In  a Japanese  Garden 

A Daimyo’s  Procession 

Image  of  Jizo 

An  Ancient  Warrior 

An  Archer 

The  Marketing  and  Preparation  of  Food  : A Kitchen, 


Pagr 
Frontispiece 
...  8 
. . . 1G 
...  32 

...  40 

...  48 

...  GO 
...  04 

showing 


Utensils;  A Fishmonger 

A Carpenter  Shop  

Ploughing  ; A Freight  Cart 

Views  at  Fushimi : Doll  and  Toy  Shops  ; Entrance  to  Inari  Temple 

A View  of  Fuji 

View  of  Hakone;  Lake  

The  Ear-mound  at  Kyoto 


72 

80 

88 

100 

104 

112 

128 


Kwannon,  Goddess  of  Mercy 

Scenes  among  the  Silk  Workers  : Keeling  ; The  Culture  of  the 


Worms 

Industrial  Workers  : An  Umbrella-maker  ; A Charcoal  Vender  . 

Interior  View  of  a Typical  Japanese  House 

A Scene  in  the  House  of  a Noble 

A Japanese  Bed 

The  Cultivation  of  Grain  : Threshing  and  Cleaning  Grain  ; C'oolies 


in  a Kice  Field  ; Women  carrying  liice 


194 


X LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 

Page 

The  Processes  of  Weighing  and  Pounding  Rice 202 

A Coolie  with  Straw  Raincoat 210 

Farm  Scenes  : Coolies  carrying  Bamboo  Baskets ; An  Irrigation 

System 218 

Artisans  for  the  Common  People  : Repairing  Wooden  Clogs  ; Repair- 
ing Tatami 226 

Scenes  in  the  Home : The  Doctor’s  Call ; Hairdressing ; A Blind 

Masseur 234 

Scene  in  a Common  School 242 

The  Wedding  Ceremony 250 

A Buddhist  Funeral 258 

A Shinto  Funeral 264 

Scenes  in  Japanese  Cemeteries 272 

Players  at  the  Game  of  “ Go  ” 280 

Theatrical  Representations  : The  “ No  ” Dance  ; Chrysanthemum 

Figures 288 

Japanese  Wrestlers 296 

Portrait  of  Commodore  Oliver  H.  Perry 304 

The  Reception  of  Commodore  Perry  by  the  Japanese  Emperor  . . 312 

Scene  in  the  Harbor  of  Uraga 320 

Portrait  of  Townsend  Harris 328 

The  Old  and  the  New : Junks ; The  New  Battleship  “ Mikasa  ” . . 336 

Nihombashi,  Tokyo 344 

A Modern  Street  Scene  in  Tokyo 362 


JAPAN 

As  It  Was  and  Is 


CHAPTER  XXXII 

Post-houses  — Imperial  Messengers  — Inns  — Houses  — Their  Furniture 
and  Interior  Arrangements  — Bathing  and  Sweating  House — Gar- 
dens — Refreshment  Houses  — What  they  provide  — Tea. 

TO  accommodate  travellers,  there  is,  in  all  the 
chief  villages  and  hamlets,  a post-house,  be- 
longing to  the  lord  of  the  place,  where,  at  all 
times,  they  may  find  horses,  porters,  footmen,  etc.,  in 
readiness,  at  certain  settled  prices.  Travellers,  of  all 
ranks  and  qualities,  with  their  retinues,  resort  to  these 
post-houses,  which  lie  at  from  six  to  sixteen  English 
miles  distance  from  each  other,  but  are,  generally  speak- 
ing, not  so  good  nor  so  well  furnished  upon  Kiushiu  as 
upon  the  great  island  Nippon,  where  we  came  to  fifty- 
six  in  going  from  Osaka  to  Yedo.  These  post-houses 
are  not  built  for  inn-keeping,  but  only  for  stabling  and 
exchange  of  horses,  for  which  reason  there  is  a spacious 
court  belonging  to  each ; also  clerks  and  bookkeepers 
enough,  who  keep  accounts,  in  their  master’s  name,  of 
all  the  daily  occurrences.  The  price  of  all  such  things 
as  are  to  be  hired  at  these  post-houses  is  settled,  not 
only  according  to  distances,  but  with  regard  to  the 

VOL.  II.  — 1 


9 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


goodness  or  badness  of  the  roads,  to  the  price  of  vict- 
uals, forage,  and  the  like.  One  post-liouse  with  another, 
a horse  to  ride  on,  with  two  portmantles  and  an  atotsuke, 
may  he  had  for  eight  sen  a mile.  A horse,  which  is 
only  saddled,  and  hath  neither  men  nor  baggage  to 
carry,  will  cost  six  sen ; porters  and  kago-men,  five  sen, 
and  so  on. 

“ Messengers  are  waiting,  day  and  night,  at  all  these 
post-houses,  to  carry  the  letters,  edicts,  proclamations, 
etc.,  of  the  emperor  and  the  princes  of  the  empire, 
which  they  take  up  the  moment  they  are  delivered  at 
the  post-house,  and  carry  to  the  next  with  all  speed. 
They  are  kept  in  a small,  black  varnished  box,  bearing 
the  coat  of  arms  of  the  emperor  or  prince  who  sends 
them,  which  the  messenger  carries  upon  his  shoulder, 
tied  to  a small  staff.  Two  of  these  messengers  always 
run  together,  that  in  case  any  accident  should  befall 
either  of  them  upon  the  road,  the  other  may  take  his 
place,  and  deliver  the  box  at  the  next  post-house.  All 
travellers,  even  the  princes  of  the  empire  and  their 
retinues,  must  retire  out  of  the  way  and  give  a free 
passage  to  the  messengers  who  carry  letters  or  orders 
from  the  emperor,  which  they  take  care  to  signify  at  a 
due  distance  by  ringing  a small  bell. 

“There  are  inns  enough,  and  tolerable  good  ones,  all 
along  the  road.  The  best  are  in  those  villages  where 
there  are  post-houses.  At  these  even  princes  and 
princely  retinues  may  be  conveniently  lodged,  treated 
suitably  to  their  rank,  and  provided  with  all  necessaries. 
Like  other  well-built  houses,  they  are  but  one  story 
high,  or,  if  there  be  two  stories,  the  second  is  low,  and 
good  for  little  else  but  stowage.  The  inns  are  not 
broader  in  front  than  other  houses,  but  considerably 


INNS 


3 


deep,  sometimes  forty  ken,  or  two  hundred  and  forty 
feet,  with  a Tsubo  — that  is,  a small  pleasure-garden  — 
behind,  enclosed  with  a neat  white  wall.  The  front 
hath  only  lattice  windows,  which,  in  the  daytime,  are 
kept  open.  The  folding  screens  and  movable  partitions 
which  divide  the  several  apartments,  unless  there  be 
some  man  of  quality  with  his  retinue  at  that  time 
lodged  there,  are  also  so  disposed  as  to  lay  open  to 
travellers,  as  they  go  along,  a very  agreeable  perspective 
view  across  the  whole  house  into  the  garden  behind. 
The  floor  is  raised  about  three  feet  above  the  level  of 
the  street,  and  by  jetting  out,  both  towards  the  street 
and  garden,  forms  a sort  of  gallery,  which  is  covered 
with  a roof,  and  on  which  travellers  pass  their  time, 
diverting  themselves  with  sitting  or  walking.  From  it, 
also,  they  mount  their  horses,  for  fear  of  dirtying  their 
feet  by  mounting  in  the  street. 

“ In  some  great  inns  there  is  a passage,  contrived  for 
the  conveniency  of  people  of  quality,  that,  coming  out 
of  their  norimono,  they  may  walk  directly  to  their  apart- 
ments, without  being  obliged  to  pass  through  the  fore 
part  of  the  house,  which  is  commonly  not  over  clean, 
and  makes  but  an  indifferent  figure,  being  covered  with 
poor,  sorry  mats,  and  the  rooms  divided  only  by  ordi- 
nary screens.  The  kitchen  is  in  this  fore  part  of  the 
house,  and  often  fills  it  with  smoke,  as  they  have  no 
chimneys,  but  only  a hole  in  the  roof  to  let  the  smoke 
through.  Here  foot  travellers  and  ordinary  people  live, 
among  the  servants.  People  of  fashion  are  accommo- 
dated in  the  back  part  of  the  house,  which  is  kept  clean 
and  neat  to  admiration.  Not  the  least  spot  is  to  be  seen 
upon  the  walls,  floors,  carpets,  window  screens,  in  short, 
nowhere  in  the  room,  which  looks  as  if  it  were  quite 


4 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


new,  and  but  newly  furnished.  There  are  no  tables, 
chairs,  benches,  or  other  furniture  in  these  rooms.  They 
are  only  adorned  with  some  Miseratsie  (?),  of  which 
more  presently,  put  into  or  hung  up  in  the  rooms,  for 
travellers  to  amuse  their  leisure  by  examining,  which, 
indeed,  some  of  them  very  well  deserve.  The  Tsubo, 
or  garden  behind  the  house,  is  also  very  curiously  kept, 
for  travellers  to  divert  themselves  with  walking  in  it, 
and  beholding  the  beautiful  flowers  it  is  commonly 
adorned  with. 

“ The  rooms  in  Japanese  houses  have  seldom  more  than 
one  blank  wall,  which  is  plastered  with  clay  of  Osaka, 
a good  fine  sort,  and  so  left  hare,  without  any  other 
ornament.  It  is  so  thin  that  the  least  kick  would  break 
it  to  pieces.  On  all  other  sides  the  room  has  either 
windows  or  folding-screens,  which  slide  in  grooves,  as 
occasion  requires.  The  lower  groove  is  cut  in  a sill, 
which  runs  even  with  the  mats,  and  the  upper  one  in  a 
beam,  which  comes  down  two  or  three  feet  from  the 
ceiling.  The  beams  in  which  the  grooves  run  are  plas- 
tered with  clay  of  Osaka.  The  ceiling,  to  show  the 
curious  running  of  the  veins  and  grain  of  the  wood,  is 
sometimes  only  covered  with  a thin,  slight  laj’er  of  a 
transparent  varnish.  Sometimes  they  paste  it  over  with 
the  same  sort  of  variously  colored  and  flowered  paper  of 
which  their  screens  are  made.  The  paper  windows, 
which  let  light  into  the  room,  have  wooden  shutters  on 
both  sides,  taken  off  in  the  daytime,  but  put  on  at 
night. 

“ In  the  solid  wall  of  the  room  there  is  always  a Tolo, 
as  they  call  it,  or  sort  of  cupboard,  raised  about  a foot 
or  more  above  the  floor,  and  very  near  two  feet  deep. 
It  commonly  stands  in  that  part  of  the  wall  which  is 


A JAPANESE  ROOM 


just  opposite  to  the  door,  that  being  reckoned  the  most 
honorable.  Just  before  this  toko  two  extraordinarily 
fine  mats  are  laid,  one  upon  the  other,  and  both  upon 
the  ordinary  mats  which  cover  the  floor.  These  are  for 
people  of  the  first  quality  to  sit  upon,  for,  upon  the 
arrival  of  travellers  of  less  note,  they  are  removed  out 
of  the  way.  At  the  side  of  the  toko  is  a TokowaJci , as 
they  call  it,  or  side  cupboard,  with  some  few  shelves 
which  serve  the  landlord  or  travellers,  if  they  please, 
to  lay  their  most  esteemed  book  upon,  they  holding  it, 
as  the  Mahometans  do  their  Alcoran,  too  sacred  to  be 
laid  on  the  ground.  Upon  the  arrival  of  the  Dutch, 
this  sacred  book  of  the  landlord  is  put  out  of  the  way. 
Above  is  a drawer,  where  they  put  up  the  inkhorn, 
paper,  writings,  books,  and  other  things  of  this  kind. 
Here,  also,  travellers  find  sometimes  the  wooden  box 
which  the  natives  use  at  night,  instead  of  a pillow. 
It  is  almost  cubical,  hollow,  and  made  of  six  thin  boards 
joined  together,  curiously  varnished,  smoothed,  and 
very  neat,  about  a span  long,  but  not  quite  so  broad, 
that  travellers  by  turning  it  may  lay  their  head  in  that 
posture  which  they  find  the  most  easy.1  Besides  this 
wooden  pillow,  travellers  have  no  other  bedding  to 
expect  from  the  landlord,  and  must  carry  their  own 
along  with  them  or  lie  on  the  mats,  covering  themselves 
with  their  clothes.  In  that  side  of  the  room  next  to  the 
toko  is  commonly  a balcony,  serving  the  person  lodged 
in  this,  the  chief  room,  to  look  out  upon  the  neighbor- 
ing garden,  fields,  or  water,  without  stirring  from  the 
carpets  placed  below  the  toko. 

“Beneath  the  floor,  which  is  covered  with  fine,  well- 
stuffed  mats,  is  a square  walled  hole,  which,  in  the 

1 it  is  also  used  as  a toilet-box,  in  which  to  keep  combs,  brushes,  etc. 


6 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


winter  season,  after  having  first  removed  the  mats,  they 
fill  with  ashes  and  lay  coals  upon  them  to  keep  the  room 
warm.  The  landladies  in  their  room  put  a low  table 
upon  this  fire-hole,  and  spread  a large  carpet  or  table- 
cloth over  it,  for  people  to  sit  underneath,  and  to  defend 
themselves  against  the  cold.  In  rooms  where  there  are 
no  fire-holes  they  use  in  the  winter  brass  or  earthen 
pots,  very  artfully  made,  and  filled  with  ashes,  with 
two  iron  sticks,  which  serve  instead  of  fire-tongs,  much 
after  the  same  manner  as  they  use  two  other  small  sticks 
at  table  instead  of  forks. 

“I  come  now  to  the  above  mentioned  Miscratsie  (?), 
as  they  call  them,  being  curious  and  amusing  ornaments 
of  their  rooms.  In  our  journey  to  court  I took  notice 
of  the  following:  1.  A paper  neatly  bordered  with  a 
rich  piece  of  embroidery,  instead  of  a frame,  either  with 
the  picture  of  a saint  done  apparently  with  a coarse 
pencil,  and  in  a few,  perhaps  three  or  four,  strokes, 
wherein,  however,  the  proportions  and  resemblance 
have  been  so  far  observed,  that  scarce  anybody  can  miss 
finding  out  whom  it  was  designed  to  represent,  nor  help 
admiring  the  ingenuity  and  skill  of  the  master;  or  else 
a judicious  moral  sentence  of  some  noted  philosopher  or 
poet,  writ  with  his  own  hand,  or  the  hand  of  some  noted 
writing-master,  who  had  a mind  to  show  his  skill  by  a 
few  hasty  strokes  or  characters,  indifferent  enough  at 
first  sight,  but  nevertheless  very  ingeniously  drawn,  and 
such  as  will  afford  sufficient  matter  of  amusement 
and  speculation  to  a curious  and  attentive  spectator; 
and,  lest  anybody  should  call  their  being  genuine  in 
question,  they  are  commonly  signed,  not  only  by  the 
writing-masters  themselves,  but  have  the  hands  and  seals 
of  some  other  witnesses  put  to  them.  They  are  hung 


INTERIOR  DECORATIONS 


7 


up  nowhere  else  hut  in  the  toko,  as  the  most  honorable 
place  of  the  room,  and  this  because  the  Japanese  set  a 
great  value  upon  them. 

2.  “Pictures  of  Chinese,  as  also  of  birds,  trees, 
landskips,  and  other  things,  upon  white  screens,  done 
by  some  eminent  master,  or  rather  scratched  with  a 
few  hasty,  affected  strokes,  after  such  a manner  that, 
unless  seen  at  a proper  distance,  they  scarce  appear 
natural. 

3.  “ A flower- vase  filled  with  all  sorts  of  curious 
flowers,  and  green  branches  of  trees,  such  as  the  season 
affords,  curiously  ranged  according  to  the  rules  of  art, 
it  being  as  much  an  art  in  this  country  to  arrange  a 
flower- vase  as  it  is  in  Europe  to  carve,  or  to  lay  a table.1 
Sometimes  there  is,  instead,  a perfuming-pan,  of  excel- 
lent good  workmanship,  cast  in  brass  or  copper,  resem- 
bling a crane,  lion,  dragon,  or  other  strange  animal.  I 
took  notice  once  that  there  was  an  earthen  pot  of 
Cologne,  such  as  is  used  to  keep  Spauwater  in,  with  all 
the  cracks  and  fissures  carefully  mended,  used  in  lieu 
of  a flower- vase,  it  being  esteemed  a very  great  rarity, 
because  of  the  distant  place  it  came  from,  the  clay  it 
was  made  of,  and  its  uncommon  shape. 

4.  “ Some  strange,  uncommon  pieces  of  wood,  wherein 
the  colors  and  grain  either  naturally  run  after  a curious 
and  unusual  manner,  or  have  been  brought  by  art  to 
represent  something. 

5.  “Some  neat  and  beautiful  network,  adorning 
either  the  balcony  and  windows  towards  the  garden,  or 
the  tops  of  the  doors,  screens,  and  partitions  of  the  chief 
apartments. 

1 See  Conder’s  illustrated  paper  in  vol.  xvii  of  the  Transactions  of 
the  Asiatic  Society  of  Japan.  — Edu. 


8 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


6.  “ A bunch  of  a tree,  or  a piece  of  a rotten  root, 
or  of  an  old  stump,  remarkable  for  their  monstrous 
deformed  shape. 

“ After  this  manner  the  chief  and  back  apartments 
are  furnished  in  great  inns,  and  houses  of  substantial 
people.  The  other  rooms  gradually  decrease  in  clean- 
liness, neatness,  and  delicacy  of  furniture;  the  screens, 
windows,  mats,  and  other  ornaments  and  household 
goods,  after  they  have  for  some  time  adorned  the  chief 
apartments,  and  begin  to  be  spotted  and  to  grow  old, 
being  removed  into  the  other  rooms  successively,  there 
to  be  quite  worn  out.  The  chief  of  the  other  rooms  is 
that  where  they  keep  their  plate,  china  ware,  and  other 
household  goods,  ranged  upon  the  floor  in  curious  order, 
according  to  their  size,  shape,  and  use.  Most  of  these 
are  made  of  wood,’  thin,  but  strongly  varnished,  the 
greatest  part  upon  a dark  red  ground.  They  are  washed 
with  warm  water  every  time  they  have  been  used,  and 
wiped  clean  with  a cloth;  by  which  means  they  will, 
though  constantly  used,  keep  clean  and  neat,  and  in 
their  full  lustre  for  several  years. 

“ The  small  gallery  or  walk  which  jets  out  from  the 
house  towards  the  garden  leads  to  the  house  of  office 
and  to  a bathing-stove,  or  hot-house.  The  house  of 
office  is  built  on  one  side  of  the  back  part  of  the  house, 
and  hath  two  doors  to  go  in.  Not  far  off  stands  a basin 
filled  with  water  to  wash  your  hands,  commonly  an  ob- 
long, rough  stone,  the  upper  part  curiously  cut  out  into 
the  form  of  a basin.  A new  pail  of  bamboo  hangs  near 
it,  and  is  covered  with  a neat  fir  or  cypress  board,  to 
which  they  put  a new  handle  every  time  it  hath  been 
used,  to  wit,  a fresh  stick  of  the  bamhoo  cane,  it  being 
a very  clean  sort  of  a wood,  and  in  a manner  naturally 


A Scene  in  a Tea  Gakden 


BATHING  AND  SWEATING  HOUSE 


9 


varnished.  The  bathing-place,  commonly  built  on  the 
back  side  of  the  garden,  contains  either  a hot-liouse  to 
sweat  in,  or  a warm  bath,  and  sometimes  both.  It  is 
made  warm  and  got  ready  every  evening,  because  the 
Japanese  usually  bathe  or  sweat  after  their  day’s  jour- 
ney is  over,  thinking  by  this  means  to  refresh  them- 
selves, and  to  sweat  off  their  weariness.  As  they  can 
undress  themselves  in  an  instant,  so  they  are  ready  at  a 
minute’s  warning  to  go  into  it;  for  they  need  but  untie 
their  sash,  and  all  their  clothes  fall  down  at  once,  leav- 
ing them  quite  naked,  excepting  a small  baud  which 
they  wear  close  to  the  body  about  their  waist.  Their 
hot-house,  which  they  go  into  only  to  sweat,  is  an 
almost  cubical  trunk,  or  stove,  raised  about  three  feet 
above  the  ground,  and  built  close  to  the  wall  of  the 
bathing-place,  on  the  outside,  — not  quite  six  feet  high, 
but  about  nine  feet  long,  and  of  the  same  breadth.  The 
floor  is  laid  with  small  planed  laths  or  planks,  some  few 
inches  distant  from  each  other,  both  for  the  easy  jxis- 
sage  of  the  rising  vapors  and  the  convenient  outlet  of 
the  water.  You  go,  or  rather  creep  in,  through  a small 
door  or  shutter.  There  are  two  other  shutters,  one  on 
each  side,  to  let  out  the  superfluous  vapor.  The  empty 
space  beneath,  down  to  the  ground,  is  enclosed  with  a 
wall  to  prevent  the  vapors  from  getting  out  on  the 
sides.  Towards  the  yard,  just  beneath  the  hot-liouse, 
is  a furnace,  part  of  which  stands  out  towards  the  yard, 
where  they  put  in  the  necessary  water  and  plants.  This 
part  is  shut  with  a clapboard  when  the  fire  is  burning, 
to  make  all  the  vapors  ascend  through  the  inner  and 
open  part  into  the  hot-house.  There  are  always  two 
tubs,  one  of  warm,  the  other  of  cold  water,  for  such  as 
have  a mind  to  wash  themselves. 


10 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


“ The  garden  is  the  only  place  in  which  we  Dutchmen, 
being  treated  in  all  respects  little  better  than  prisoners, 
have  liberty  to  walk.  It  is  commonly  square,  with  a 
back  door,  and  walled  in  very  neatly.  There  are  few 
good  houses  or  inns  without  one.  If  there  be  not  room 
enough  for  a garden,  they  have  at  least  an  old  ingrafted 
plum,  cherry,  or  apricot  tree;  and  the  older,  the  more 
crooked  and  monstrous,  the  greater  value  they  put  upon 
it.  Sometimes  they  let  the  branches  grow  into  the 
rooms.  In  order  to  make  it  bear  larger  flowers  and  in 
greater  quantity,  they  trim  it  to  a few,  perhaps  two  or 
three,  branches.  It  cannot  be  denied  but  that  the  great 
number  of  beautiful,  incarnadine  double  flowers  are  a 
curious  ornament  to  this  back  part  of  the  house,  but 
they  have  this  disadvantage,  that  they  bear  no  fruit. 
In  some  small  houses  and  inns  of  less  note,  where  there 
is  not  room  enough  neither  for  a garden  nor  trees,  they 
have  at  least  an  opening  or  window,  to  let  the  light 
fall  into  the  back  rooms,  before  which,  for  the  amuse- 
ment and  diversion  of  travellers,  is  put  a small  tub 
full  of  water,  wherein  they  commonly  keep  alive  some 
gold  or  silver  fish;  and  for  further  ornament  there  is 
generally  a flower-pot  or  two  standing  there.  Some- 
times they  plant  dwarf  trees,  which  will  grow  easily 
upon  pumice  or  other  porous  stones,  without  any  earth 
at  all,  provided  the  root  be  put  into  the  water, 
whence  it  will  suck  up  sufficient  nourishment.  Ordi- 
nary people  often  plant  the  same  kind  of  trees  before 
their  street-doors. 

“ But  to  return  to  the  Tsubo,  or  garden.  A good  one 
must  include  at  least  thirty  feet  square,  and  consist  of 
the  following  essential  parts:  1.  The  ground  is  covered 
partly  with  roundish  stones  of  different  colors,  gathered 


GARDENS 


11 


in  rivers  or  upon  the  sea-shore,  well  washed  and  cleaned, 
and  those  of  the  same  kind,  laid  together  in  form  of 
beds,  partly  with  gravel  which  is  swept  every  day,  and 
kept  clean  and  neat  to  admiration,  the  large  stones 
being  laid  in  the  middle  as  a path  to  walk  upon  without 
injuring  the  gravel,  the  whole  in  a seeming  but  ingen- 
ious confusion.  2.  Some  few  flower-hearing  shrubs 
planted  confusedly,  though  not  without  some  certain 
rules.  Amidst  them  stands  sometimes  a Saguer  (?),  as 
they  call  it,  or  scarce  outlandish  tree,  sometimes  a dwarf 
tree  or  two.  3.  A small  rock  or  hill  in  a comer  of  the 
garden,  made  in  imitation  of  nature,  curiously  adorned 
with  birds  and  insects  cast  in  brass,  and  placed  between 
the  stones.  Sometimes  the  model  of  a temple  stands 
upon  it,  built,  as  for  the  sake  of  the  prospect  they  gen- 
erally are,  on  a remarkable  eminence  or  the  borders  of  a 
precipice.  Often  a small  rivulet  rushes  down  the  stones 
with  an  agreeable  noise,  the  whole  in  due  proportions 
and  as  near  as  possible  resembling  nature.  4.  A small 
thicket  or  wood  on  the  side  of  the  hill,  for  which  the 
gardeners  choose  such  trees  as  will  grow  close  to  one 
another,  and  plant  and  cut  them  according  to  their 
largeness,  nature,  and  the  color  of  their  flowers  and 
leaves,  so  as  to  make  the  whole  very  accurately  imitate 
a natural  wood  or  forest.  5.  A cistern  or  pond,  as 
mentioned  above,  with  live  fish  kept  in  it,  and  sur- 
rounded with  proper  plants,  that  is,  such  as  love  a 
watery  soil,  and  would  lose  their  beauty  and  greenness 
if  planted  in  a dry  ground.  It  is  a particular  profession 
to  lay  out  these  gardens,  and  to  keep  them  so  curiously 
and  nicely  as  they  ought  to  be. 

“There  are  innumerable  smaller  inns,  cook-shops, 
sake,  or  ale-houses,  pastry-cooks’  and  confectioners’ 


12 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


shops,  all  along  the  road,  even  in  the  midst  of  woods  and 
forests,  and  at  the  tops  of  mountains,  where  a weary 
foot-traveller,  and  the  meaner  sort  of  people,  find  at  all 
times,  for  a few  sen,  something  warm  to  eat,  or  hot 
tea,  or  sake,  or  somewhat  else  of  the  kind,  wherewith  to 
refresh  themselves.  ’T  is  true  these  cook-shops  are  hut 
poor,  sorry  houses,  if  compared  to  larger  inns,  being 
inhabited  only  by  poor  people,  who  have  enough  to  do 
to  get  a livelihood  by  this  trade ; and  yet,  even  in  these, 
there  is  always  something  or  other  to  amuse  passengers, 
and  to  draw  them  in;  sometimes  a garden  and  orchard 
behind  the  house,  which  is  seen  from  the  street,  looking 
through  the  passage,  and  which,  by  its  beautiful  flowers, 
or  the  agreeable  sight  of  a stream  of  clear  water,  falling 
down  from  a neighboring  natural  or  artificial  hill,  or  by 
some  other  curious  ornament  of  this  kind,  tempts  people 
to  come  in  and  repose  themselves.  At  other  times  a 
large  flower-pot  stands  in  the  window,  filled  with  flower- 
ing branches  of  trees,  disposed  in  a very  curious  manner. 
Sometimes  a handsome,  well-looking  housemaid,  or  a 
couple  of  young  girls,  well  dressed,  stand  under  the 
door,  and  with  great  civility  invite  people  to  come  in, 
and  to  buy  something.  The  eatables,  such  as  cakes,  or 
whatever  it  be,  are  kept  before  the  fire,  in  an  open  room, 
sticking  to  skewers  of  bamboos,  so  that  passengers,  as 
they  go  along,  may  take  them  and  pursue  their  journey 
without  stopping.  The  landladies,  cooks,  and  maids,  as 
soon  as  they  see  anybody  coming  at  a distance,  blow  up 
the  fire,  to  make  it  look  as  if  the  victuals  had  been  just 
got  ready.  Some  busy  themselves  with  making  the 
tea,  others  prepare  soup,  others  fill  cups  with  sake  or 
other  liquors,  to  present  them  to  passengers,  all  the 
while  talking  and  chattering,  and  commending  their 


THE  COOK-SHOP  MENU 


13 


merchandise  with  a voice  loud  enough  to  be  heard  by 
their  next  neighbors  of  the  same  profession. 

“ The  eatables  sold  at  these  cook-shops,  besides  tea, 
and  sometimes  sake,  are  manju , a sort  of  round  cakes, 
which  they  learned  to  make  from  the  Portuguese,  as 
big  as  common  hens’  eggs,  and  filled  within  with  black- 
bean  flour  and  sugar;  cakes  of  the  jelly  of  a root  found 
upon  mountains,  and  cut  into  round  slices,  like  carrots, 
and  roasted;  snails,  oysters,  shell-fish,  and  other  small 
fish,  roasted,  boiled,  or  pickled ; Chinese  laxa,  a thin  sort 
of  pap,  or  paste,  made  of  fine  wheat  flour,  cut  into  small, 
thin,  long  slices,  and  baked;  all  sorts  of  plants,  roots, 
and  sprigs  which  the  season  affords,  washed  and  boiled 
in  water  with  salt;  innumerable  other  dishes  peculiar  to 
this  country,  made  of  seeds,  powdered  roots,  and  vegeta- 
bles, boiled  or  baked,  dressed  in  many  different  ways. 

“ The  common  sauce  for  these  and  other  dishes  is  a 
little  soy , as  they  call  it,  mixed  with  sake,  or  the  beer 
of  the  country.  Sansho  leaves  are  laid  upon  the  dish 
for  ornament,  and  sometimes  thin  slices  of  fine  ginger 
and  lemon  peel.  Sometimes  they  put  powdered  ginger, 
sansho,  or  the  powder  of  some  root  growing  in  the 
country,  into  the  soup.  They  are  also  provided  with 
sweet-meats,  of  several  different  colors  and  sorts,  which, 
generally  speaking,  are  far  more  agreeable  to  the  C3’e 
than  pleasing  to  the  taste,  being  but  indifferently  sweet- 
ened with  sugar,  and  so  tough  that  one  must  have  good 
teeth  to  chew  them.  Foot  travellers  find  it  set  down 
in  their  printed  road-books,  which  they  always  carry 
about  them,  where  and  at  what  price  the  best  victuals 
of  the  kind  are  to  be  got. 

“ Tea  (since  most  travellers  drink  scarce  anything  else 
upon  the  road)  is  sold  at  all  the  inns  and  cook-shops, 


14 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


besides  many  tea-booths  set  up  for  this  trade  alone, 
in  the  midst  of  fields  and  woods,  and  at  the  stop  of 
mountains.  The  tea  sold  at  all  these  places  is  but  a 
coarse  sort,  being  only  the  largest  leaves,  which  remain 
upon  the  shrub  after  the  youngest  and  tenderest  have 
been  plucked  off,  at  two  different  times,  for  the  use  of 
people  of  fashion,  who  constantly  drink  it,  before  or 
after  their  meals.  These  larger  leaves  are  not  rolled 
up  and  curled,  as  the  better  sort  of  tea  is,  but  simply 
roasted  in  a pan,  and  continually  stirred  whilst  they  are 
roasting,  lest  they  should  get  a burnt  taste.  When 
they  are  done  enough,  they  put  them  by  in  straw  bas- 
kets, under  the  roof  of  the  house,  near  the  place  where 
the  smoke  comes  out.  They  are  not  a bit  nicer  in  pre- 
paring it  for  drinking,  for  they  commonly  take  a good 
handful  of  the  tea  leaves,  and  boil  them  in  a large  -iron 
kettle  full  of  water.  The  leaves  are  sometimes  put  into 
a small  bag ; but,  if  not,  they  have  a little  basket  swim- 
ming in  the  kettle,  which  they  make  use  of  to  keep  the 
leaves  down,  when  they  have  a mind  to  take  out  some 
of  the  clear  decoction.  Half  a cup  of  this  decoction  is 
mixed  with  cold  water,  when  travellers  ask  for  it.  Tea 
thus  prepared  smells  and  tastes  like  lye  — the  leaves  it  is 
made  of,  besides  that  they  are  of  a very  bad  sort,  being 
seldom  less  than  a 3,,ear  old ; and  yet  the  Japanese  esteem 
it  much  more  healthful  for  daily  use  than  the  young, 
tender  leaves,  prepared  after  the  Chinese  manner,  which 
they  say  affect  the  head  too  strongly,  though  even  these 
lose  a great  part  of  their  narcotic  quality  when  boiled.’" 1 

1 The  most  recent  visitors  to  Japan  all  agree  in  representing  the 
common  tea  of  the  country  as  an  inferior  article,  not  suited  for 
exportation. 


CHAPTER  XXXIII 


Number  of  People  on  the  Road  — Princely  Retinues  — Pilgrims  to  Ise  — 
Junrei  Pilgrims  — Naked  Devotees  -*-  Religious  Beggars  — Begging 
Order  of  Nuns  — Yama-Bushi,  or  Mountain  Priests  — Buddhist 
Beggars  — Singular  Bell-chiming  — Hucksters  and  Peddlers  — 
Courtesans. 

“ T"T  is  scarce  credible,”  says  Kampfer,  “ what  numbers 
j of  people  daily  travel  in  this  country;  and  I can 
assure  the  reader,  from  my  own  experience,  having 
passed  it  four  times,  that  Tbkaidfi,  which  is,  indeed,  the 
most  frequented  of  the  seven  great  roads  in  Japan,  is 
upon  some  days  more  crowded  than  the  public  streets  in 
any  of  the  most  populous  towns  in  Europe.  This  is 
owing  partly  to  the  country’s  being  extremely  populous, 
partly  to  the  frequent  journeys  which  the  natives  under- 
take, oftener  than  perhaps  any  other  people. 

“ It  is  the  duty  of  the  princes  and  lords  of  the  empire, 
as  also  of  the  governors  of  the  imperial  cities  and  crown 
lands,  to  go  to  court  once  a year  to  pay  their  homage 
and  respect.  They  are  attended,  going  up  and  return- 
ing, by  their  whole  court,  and  travel  with  a pomp  and 
magnificence  becoming  as  well  their  own  quality  and 
riches  as  the  majesty  of  the  powerful  monarch  whom 
they  are  going  to  see.  The  train  of  some  of  the  most 
eminent  fills  up  the  road  for  some  days.  Though  we 
travelled  pretty  fast,  yet  we  often  met  the  baggage  and 
fore-runners,  consisting  of  the  servants  and  inferior  offi- 
cers, for  two  days  together,  dispersed  in  several  troops, 
and  the  prince  himself  followed  but  the  third  day, 


16 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


attended  with  his  numerous  court,  all  marching  in  ad- 
mirable order.  The  retinue  of  one  of  the  chief  Daimids, 
as  they  are  called,  is  computed  to  amount  to  about  twenty 
thousand  men,  more  or  less ; that  of  a Shomid  to  about 
ten  thousand ; that  of  a governor  of  the  imperial  cities 
and  crown  lands  to  from  one  to  several  hundreds,  ac- 
cording to  his  quality  or  revenues.1 

“If  two  or  more  of  these  princes  and  lords  should 
chance  to  travel  the  same  road  at  the  same  time,  they 
would  prove  a great  hindrance  to  one  another,  particu- 
larly if  they  should  happen  to  meet  at  the  same  post- 
house  or  village ; to  prevent  which  it  is  usual  for  great 
princes  and  lords  to  bespeak  the  several  post-houses  by 
which  they  are  to  pass,  with  all  the  inns,  those  of  the 
first  quality  a month,  others  a week  or  two,  before  their 
arrival.  The  time  of  their  intended  arrival  is  also  noti- 
fied in  all  the  cities,  villages,  and  hamlets,  by  putting  up 
small  boards  on  high  poles  of  bamboo,  signifying  in  a few 
characters  what  day  of  the  month  such  or  such  a lord 
will  be  at  that  village,  to  dine  or  sleep  there. 

“Numerous  troops  of  fore-runners,  harbingers,  clerks, 
cooks,  and  other  inferior  officers  go  before  to  provide 
lodgings,  victuals,  and  other  things  necessary  for  the 

1 These  great  retinues  are  thus  accounted  for  by  Thunberg:  “As 
both  the  monarch  himself  and  all  the  princes  of  the  country  are  clothed 
and  dress  their  hair  in  the  same  manner  as  the  rest  of  the  inhabitants, 
and  being  destitute  of  thrones,  jewels,  and  other  like  paraphernalia, 
cannot  be  so  distinguished  from  others,  they  have  adopted  the  expe- 
dient of  exhibiting  themselves  on  journeys  and  festive  occasions  ac- 
cording to  their  condition  in  life,  and  the  dignity  of  their  respective 
offices,  witli  a great  number  of  people,  officers,  and  attendants  hover- 
ing about  them.”  The  statement  already  quoted  from  Caron  (see 
vol.  i,  p.  259)  as  to  the  numbers  composing  these  princely  retinues,  is 
much  less  than  that  given  above,  and  probably  nearer  the  truth. 

[The  numbers  of  the  retinues  which  Kiimpfer  gives  are  too  large. 
— K.  M.] 


A Native  Postman;  Toko-no-ma 


PRINCELY  RETINUES 


17 


entertainment  of  their  prince  and  master,  and  his  court. 
They  are  followed  by  the  prince’s  heavy  baggage,  packed 
up  either  in  small  trunks,  as  already  described,  and  car- 
ried upon  horses,  each  with  a banner,  bearing  the  coat  of 
arms  and  the  name  of  the  possessor,  or  else  in  large 
chests,  covered  with  red  lackered  leather,  again  with  the 
possessor’s  coat  of  arms,  and  carried  upon  men’s  shoul- 
ders, with  multitudes  of  inspectors  to  look  after  them. 
Next  come  great  numbers  of  smaller  retinues,  belonging 
to  the  chief  officers  and  noblemen  attending  the  prince, 
with  pikes,  scymetars,  bows  and  arrows,  umbrellas,  palan- 
quins, led  horses,  and  other  marks  of  their  grandeur, 
suitable  to  their  birth,  quality,  and  office.  Some  of  these 
are  carried  in  norimono,  others  in  kago,  and  others  go  on 
horseback. 

“The  prince’s  own  numerous  train,  marching  in  an 
admirable  and  curious  order,  is  divided  into  several 
troops,  each  headed  by  a proper  commanding  officer,  as, 
1.  Five,  more  or  less,  fine  horses,  each  led  by  two  grooms, 
one  on  each  side,  two  footmen  walking  behind.  2.  Five 
or  six,  and  sometimes  more,  porters,  richly  clad,  walking 
one  by  one,  and  carrying  lackered  chests,  and  japanned 
neat  trunks  and  baskets,  upon  their  shoulders,  wherein 
are  kept  the  wearing  apparel  and  other  necessaries  for 
the  daily  use  of  the  prince,  each  porter  attended  by  two 
footmen.  3.  Ten  or  more  fellows,  walking  one  by  one, 
and  carrying  rich  scymetars,  pikes  of  state,  fire-arms,  and 
other  weapons,  in  lackered  wooden  cases,  as,  also,  quivers 
with  bows  and  arrows.  Sometimes,  for  magnificence 
sake,  there  are  more  chest-bearers  and  led  horses  follow- 
ing this  troop.  4.  Two,  three,  or  more  men,  who  carry 
pikes  of  state,  as  the  badges  of  the  prince’s  power  and 
authority,  adorned  at  the  upper  end  with  bunches  of 

VOL.  IT.  — 2 


18 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


cock  feathers,  or  other  ornaments  peculiar  to  such  or  such 
a prince.  They  walk  one  by  one,  and  are  attended  each 
by  two  footmen.  5.  A gentleman,  attended  by  two  foot- 
men, carrying  the  prince’s  hat,  worn  as  a shelter  from  the 
heat  of  the  sun,  and  which  is  covered  with  black  velvet. 
6.  A gentleman  carrying  the  prince’s  sombrero,  or  um- 
brella, which  is  covered  in  like  manner  with  black  velvet, 
this  person  also  attended  by  two  footmen.  7.  Some 
more  bearers  of  trunks,  covered  with  varnished  leather, 
with  the  prince’s  coat  of  arms  upon  them,  each  with  two 
men  to  take  care  of  it.  8.  Sixteen,  more  or  less,  of  the 
prince’s  pages,  and  gentlemen  of  his  bed-chamber,  taken 
out  from  among  the  first  quality  of  his  court,  richly 
clad,  and  walking  two  and  two  before  his  norimono. 

9.  The  prince  himself,  sitting  in  a stately  norimono, 
carried  by  six  or  eight  men,  clad  in  rich  liveries,  with 
several  others  walking  at  the  norimono’s  sides,  to  take  it 
up  by  turns ; also,  two  or  three  gentlemen  of  the  prince’s 
bed-chamber,  to  give  him  what  he  wants  and  asks  for, 
and  to  assist  and  support  him  in  getting  in  or  out. 

10.  Two  or  three  horses  of  state,  the  saddles  covered 
with  black.  One  of  these  horses  carries  a large  elbow- 
chair,  which  is  sometimes  covered  with  black  velvet. 
These  horses  are  attended  each  by  several  grooms  and 
footmen  in  liveries,  and  some  are  led  by  the  prince’s  own 
pages.  11.  Two  pike-bearers.  12.  Ten  or  more  people, 
carrying  each  two  baskets  of  a monstrous  size,  fixed  to 
the  ends  of  a pole,  which  they  lay  on  their  shoulders  in 
such  a manner  that  one  basket  hangs  down  before  and 
the  other  behind  them.  These  baskets  are  more  for  state 
than  for  any  use.  Sometimes  some  chest-bearers  walk 
among  them,  to  increase  the  troop.  In  this  order  marches 
the  prince’s  own  train,  which  is  followed  by  six  to  twelve 


A CURIOUS  SIGHT 


19 


led  horses  with  their  leaders,  grooms,  and  footmen,  all  in 
liveries.  The  procession  is  closed  by  a multitude  of  the 
prince’s  domestics  and  other  officers  of  his  court,  with 
their  own  numerous  trains  and  attendants,  pike-bearefs, 
chest-bearers,  and  footmen,  in  liveries.  Some  of  these 
are  carried  in  kago,  and  the  whole  troop  is  headed  by  the 
prince’s  high-steward,  carried  in  a norimono.  If  one  of 
the  prince’s  sons  accompanies  his  father  in  this  journey 
to  court,  he  follows  with  his  own  train  immediately  after 
his  father’s  norimono. 

“ It  is  a sight  exceedingly  curious  and  worthy  of  ad- 
miration, to  see  all  the  persons  who  compose  the  numer- 
ous train  of  a great  prince,  clad,  the  pike-bearers,  the 
norimono-men  and  livery-men  only  excepted,  in  black 
silk,  marching  in  an  elegant  order,  with  a decent,  becom- 
ing  gravity,  and  keeping  so  profound  a silence  that  not 
the  least  noise  is  to  be  heard,  save  what  must  necessarily 
arise  from  the  motion  and  rushing  of  their  dresses,  and  the 
trampling  of  the  horses  and  men.  On  the  other  hand, 
it  appears  ridiculous  to  an  European  to  see  all  the  pike- 
bearers  and  norimono-men,  with  their  clothes  tucked  up 
above  their  waists,  exposing  their  nakedness  to  the  spec- 
tators’ view,  with  only  a piece  of  cloth  about  their  loins. 
What  appears  still  more  old  and  whimsical  is  to  see  the 
pages,  pike-bearers,  umbrella  and  hat  bearers,  chest- 
bearers,  and  all  the  footmen  in  liveries,  affect,  when  they 
pass  through  some  remarkable  town,  or  by  the  train  of 
another  prince  or  lord,  a strange  mimic  march  or  dance. 
Every  step  they  make,  they  draw  up  one  foot  quite  to 
their  backs,  stretching  out  the  arm  on  the  opposite  side 
as  far  as  they  can,  and  putting  themselves  in  such  a 
posture  as  if  they  had  a mind  to  swim  through  the  air. 
Meanwhile  the  pikes,  hats,  umbrellas,  chests,  boxes, 


20 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


baskets,  and  whatever  else  they  carry  are  danced  and 
tossed  about  in  a very  singular  manner,  answering  to  the 
motion  of  their  bodies.  The  norimono-men,  who  have 
their  sleeves  tied  with  a string  as  near  the  shoulders  as 
possible,  so  as  to  leave  their  arms  naked,  carry  the  pole 
of  the  norimono  either  upon  their  shoulders,  or  else  upon 
the  palms  of  their  hands,  holding  it  above  their  heads. 
Whilst  they  hold  it  up  with  one  arm,  they  stretch  out 
the  other,  putting  the  hand  into  a horizontal  posture, 
whereby,  and  by  their  short,  deliberate  steps  and  stiff 
knees,  they  affect  a ridiculous  fear  and  circumspection. 
If  the  prince  steps  out  of  his  norimono  into  one  of  the 
green  huts  which  are  purposely  built  for  him  at  conven- 
ient distances  on  the  road,  or  if  he  goes  into  a private 
house,  either  to  drink  a dish  of  tea  or  for  any  other 
purpose,  he  always  leaves  a koban  with  the  landlord  as  a 
reward  for  his  trouble.  At  dinner  or  supper  the  expense 
is  much  greater. 

“ All  the  pilgrims  who  go  to  Ise,  whatever  province  of 
the  empire  they  come  from,  must  travel  over  part  of  this 
great  road.  This  pilgrimage  is  made  at  all  times  of  the 
year,  but  particularly  in  the  spring,  at  which  season  vast 
multitudes  of  these  pilgrims  are  seen  upon  the  roads. 
The  Japanese  of  both  sexes,  young  and  old,  rich  and 
poor,  undertake  this  meritorious  journey,  generally 
speaking,  on  foot,  in  order  to  obtain,  at  this  holy  place, 
indulgences  and  remission  of  their  sins.  Some  of  these 
pilgrims  are  so  poor  that  they  must  live  wholly  upon 
what  they  get  by  begging.  On  this  account,  and  by  rea- 
son of  their  great  number,  they  are  exceedingly  trouble- 
some to  the  princes  and  lords  who  at  that  time  of  the 
year  go  to  court,  or  come  thence,  though  otherwise  they 
address  themselves  in  a very  civil  manner,  bareheaded, 


PILGRIM  BEGGARS 


21 


and  with  a low,  submissive  voice,  saying,  ‘ Great  Lord, 
be  pleased  to  give  the  poor  pilgrim  a zeni,  towards  the 
expense  of  his  journey  to  Ise,’  or  words  to  that  effect. 
Of  all  the  Japanese,  the  inhabitants  of  Yedo  and  the 
province  Oshu  are  the  most  inclined  to  this  pilgrimage. 
Children,  if  apprehensive  of  severe  punishment  for  their 
misdemeanors,  will  run  away  from  their  parents  and  go 
to  Ise,  thence  to  fetch  an  Oharai , or  indulgence,  which 
upon  their  return  is  deemed  a sufficient  expiation  of 
their  crimes,  and  a sure  means  to  reconcile  them  to  their 
friends.  Multitudes  of  these  pilgrims  are  obliged  to  pass 
whole  nights  lying  in  the  open  fields,  exposed  to  all  the 
injuries  of  wind  and  weather,  some  for  want  of  room  in 
inns,  others  out  of  poverty ; and  of  these  last  many  are 
found  dead  upon  the  road,  in  which  case  their  Oharai , if 
they  have  any  about  them,  is  carefully  taken  up  and  hid 
in  the  next  tree  or  bush. 

“ Others  make  this  pilgrimage  in  a comical  and  merry 
way,  drawing  people's  eyes  upon  them  as  well  as  getting 
their  money.  They  form  themselves  into  companies, 
generally  of  four  persons,  clad  in  white  linen,  after  the 
fashion  of  the  Kuge,  or  persons  of  the  holy  ecclesiastical 
court  of  the  Dairi.  Two  of  them  walking  a grave,  slow, 
deliberate  pace,  and  standing  often  still,  carry  a large 
barrow,  adorned  and  hung  about  with  fir-branches  and 
cut  white  paper,  on  which  they  place  a resemblance  of  a 
large  bell,  made  of  light  substance,  or  a kettle,  or  some- 
thing else,  alluding  to  some  old  romantic  history  of 
their  gods  and  ancestors ; whilst  a third,  with  a com- 
mander’s staff  in  his  hand,  adorned,  out  of  respect 
to  his  office,  with  a bunch  of  white  paper,  walks,  or 
rather  dances,  before  the  barrow,  singing  with  a dull, 
heavy  voice,  a song  relating  to  the  subject  they  are 


22 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


about  to  represent.  Meanwhile,  the  fourth  goes  begging 
before  the  houses,  or  addresses  himself  to  charitable 
travellers,  and  receives  and  keeps  the  money  which  is 
given  them.  Their  day’s  journeys  are  so  short  that 
they  can  easily  spend  the  whole  summer  upon  such  an 
expedition. 

“ The  Junrei , another  remarkable  sight  travellers  meet 
with  upon  the  roads,  are  people  who  go  to  visit  in  pil- 
grimage the  thirty-three  chief  Kwannon  temples,  which 
lie  dispersed  throughout  the  empire.  They  commonly 
travel  two  or  three  together,  singing  a miserable  Kwan- 
non-song  from  house  to  house,  and  sometimes  playing 
upon  a fiddle,  or  upon  a guitar,  as  vagabond  beggars  do 
in  Germany.  However,  they  do  not  importune  travellers 
for  their  charity.  They  have  the  names  of  such  Kwan- 
non temples  as  they  have  not  yet  visited  writ  upon  a 
small  board  hanging  about  their  necks.  They  are  clad 
in  white,  after  a very  singular  fashion,  peculiar  only  to 
this  sect.  Some  people  like  so  well  to  ramble  about  the 
country  after  this  manner  that  they  will  apply  themselves 
to  no  other  trade  and  profession,  but  choose  to  end  their 
days  in  this  perpetual  pilgrimage. 

“ Sometimes  one  meets  with  very  odd  sights  ; as,  for 
instance,  people  running  naked  along  the  roads  in  the 
hardest  frosts,  wearing  only  a little  straw  about  their 
waists.  These  people  generally  undertake  so  extraordi- 
nary and  troublesome  a journey  to  visit  certain  temples, 
pursuant  to  religious  vows,  which  they  promised  to  fulfil 
in  case  they  should  obtain,  from  the  bounty  of  then-  gods, 
deliverance  from  some  fatal  distemper,  they  themselves, 
their  parents  or  relations,  labor  under,  or  from  some 
other  great  misfortunes  they  were  threatened  with. 
They  live  very  poorly  and  miserably  upon  the  road, 


THE  BIKUNI 


23 


receive  no  charity,  and  proceed  on  their  journey  by 
themselves,  almost  perpetually  running. 

“ Multitudes  of  beggars  crowd  the  roads  in  all  parts 
of  the  empire,  but  particularly  on  the  so  much  frequented 
Tokaido,  among  them  many  lusty  young  fellows,  who 
shave  their  heads.  To  this  shaved  begging  tribe  belongs 
a certain  remarkable  religious  order  of  young  girls,  called 
Bikuni,  which  is  as  much  as  to  say,  nuns.  They  live 
under  the  protection  of  the  nunneries  at  Kamakura  and 
Miyako,  to  which  they  pay  a certain  sum  a year,  of  what 
they  get  by  begging,  as  an  acknowledgment  of  their 
authority.  They  are,  in  my  opinion,  by  much  the  hand- 
somest girls  we  saw  in  Japan.  The  daughters  of  poor 
parents,  if  they  be  handsome  and  agreeable,  apply  for 
and  easily  obtain  this  privilege  of  begging  in  the  habit 
of  nuns,  knowing  that  beauty  is  one  of  the  most  per- 
suasive inducements  to  generosity.  The  Yamabushi, 
or  begging  mountain  priests  (of  whom  more  hereafter), 
frequently  incorporate  their  own  daughters  into  this 
religious  order,  and  take  their  wives  from  among  these 
Bikuni.  Some  of  them  have  been  bred  up  as  courtesans, 
and  having  served  their  time,  buy  the  privilege  of 
entering  into  this  religious  order,  therein  to  spend  the 
remainder  of  their  youth  and  beauty.  They  live  two  or 
three  together,  and  make  an  excursion  every  day  some 
few  miles  from  their  dwelling-house.  They  particularly 
watch  people  of  fashion,  who  travel  in  norimono,  or  in 
kago,  or  on  horseback.  As  soon  as  they  perceive  some- 
body coming,  they  draw  near  and  address  themselves, 
though  not  all  together,  but  singly,  every  one  accosting 
a gentleman  by  herself  singing  a rural  song ; and  if  he 
proves  very  liberal  and  charitable,  she  will  keep  him 
company  and  divert  him  for  some  hours.  As,  on  the 


24 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


one  hand,  very  little  religious  blood  seems  to  circulate 
in  their  veins,  so,  on  the  other,  it  doth  not  appear  that 
they  labor  under  any  considerable  degree  of  poverty. 
It  is  true,  indeed,  they  conform  themselves  to  the  rules 
of  their  order,  by  shaving  their  heads,  but  they  take  care 
to  cover  and  to  wrap  them  up  in  caps  or  hoods  made  of 
black  silk.  They  go  decently  and  neatly  dressed,  after 
the  fashion  of  ordinary  people.  They  wear  also  a large 
hat  to  cover  their  faces,  which  are  often  painted,  and  to 
shelter  themselves  from  the  heat  of  the  sun.  They 
commonly  have  a shepherd’s  rod  or  hook  in  their  hands. 
Their  voice,  gestures,  and  apparent  behavior,  are  neither 
too  bold  and  daring,  nor  too  much  dejected  and  affected, 
but  free,  comely,  and  seemingly  modest.  However,  not 
to  extol  their  modesty  beyond  what  it  deserves,  it  must 
be  observed,  that  they  make  nothing  of  laying  their 
bosoms  quite  bare  to  the  view  of  charitable  travellers, 
all  the  while  they  keep  them  company,  under  pretence  of 
its  being  customary  in  the  country ; and,  for  aught  I 
know,  they  may  be,  though  never  so  religiously  shaved, 
full  as  impudent  and  lascivious  as  any  public  courtesan. 

“ Another  religious  begging  order  is  that  of  Yamabushi, 
as  they  are  commonly  called ; that  is,  the  mountain  priests, 
or  rather  Yamabu,  mountain  soldiers,  because  at  all 
times  they  go  armed  with  swords  and  scymetars.  They 
do  not  shave  their  heads,  but  follow  the  rules  of  the  first 
founder  of  this  order,  who  mortified  his  body  by  climbing 
up  steep,  high  mountains  ; at  least,  they  conform  them- 
selves thereunto  in  their  dress,  apparent  behavior,  and 
some  outward  ceremonies ; for  they  are  fallen  short  of 
his  rigorous  way  of  life.  They  have  a head,  or  general, 
of  their  order,  residing  at  Miyako,  to  whom  they  are 
obliged  to  bring  a certain  sum  of  money  every  year,  and 


THE  YAMABUSHI 


25 


who  has  the  distribution  of  dignities  and  of  titles,  whereby 
they  are  known  among  themselves.  They  commonly  live 
in  the  neighborhood  of  some  famous  Kami  temple,  and 
accost  travellers  in  the  name  of  that  Kami  which  is  wor- 
shipped there,  making  a short  discourse  of  his  holiness 
and  miracles,  with  a loud,  coarse  voice.  Meanwhile,  to 
make  the  noise  still  louder,  they  rattle  their  long  staffs, 
loaded  at  the  upper  end  with  iron  rings,  to  take  up  the 
charity  money  which  is  given  them ; and  last  of  all,  they 
blow  a trumpet  made  of  a large  shell.  They  carry  their 
children  along  with  them  upon  the  same  begging  errand, 
clad  like  their  fathers,  but  with  their  heads  shaved. 
Those  little  bastards  are  exceedingly  troublesome  and 
importunate  with  travellers,  and  commonly  take  care  to 
light  on  them,  as  they  are  going  up  some  hill  or  moun- 
tain, where,  because  of  the  difficult  ascent,  they  cannot 
well  escape,  nor  indeed  otherwise  get  rid  of  them  with- 
out giving  them  something.  In  some  places  they  and 
their  fathers  accost  travellers  in  company  with  a troop  of 
Bikuni,  and,  with  their  rattling,  singing,  trumpeting, 
chattering,  and  crying,  make  such  a frightful  noise  as 
would  make  one  almost  mad  or  deaf.  These  mountain 
priests  are  frequently  applied  to  by  superstitious  people 
for  conjuring,  fortune-telling,  foretelling  future  events, 
recovering  lost  goods,  and  the  like  purposes.  They  pro- 
fess themselves  to  be  of  the  Kami  religion,  as  established 
of  old,  and  yet  they  are  never  suffered  to  attend,  or  to 
take  care  of,  any  of  the  Kami  temples. 

“ There  are  many  more  beggars  travellers  meet  with 
along  the  roads.  Some  of  these  are  old,  and,  in  all  ap- 
pearance, honest  men,  who,  the  better  to  prevail  upon 
people  to  part  with  their  charity,  are  shaved  and  clad 
after  the  fashion  of  the  Butsudo  [Buddhist]  priests. 


26 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


Sometimes  there  are  two  of  them  standing  together,  each 
with  a small,  oblong  book  before  him.  This  book  contains 
part  of  their  Hokekyo,  or  Bible,  printed  in  the  signifi- 
cant or  learned  language.1  However,  I would  not 
have  the  reader  think,  as  if  they  themselves  had  any 
understanding  in  that  language,  or  know  how  to  read 
the  book  placed  before  them.  They  only  learn  some 
part  of  it  by  heart,  and  speak  it  aloud,  looking  towards 
the  book,  as  if  they  did  actually  read  in  it,  and  expect- 
ing something  from  their  hearers,  as  a reward  for  their 
trouble. 

“ Others  are  found  sitting  near  some  river,  or  running 
water,  making  a Segaki , — a certain  ceremony  for  the 
relief  of  departed  souls.  This  Segaki  is  made  after  the 
following  manner:  They  take  a green  branch  of  the 

liana  Shikimi  tree,  and,  murmuring  certain  words  with 
a low  voice,  wash  and  scour  it  with  some  shavings  of 
wood,  whereon  they  had  written  the  names  of  some  de- 
ceased persons.  This  they  believe  to  contribute  greatly 
to  relieve  and  refresh  the  departed  souls  confined  in 
purgatory ; and,  for  aught  I know,  it  may  answer  that 
purpose  full  as  well  as  any  number  of  masses,  as  they  are 
celebrated  to  the  same  end  in  Roman  Catholic  countries. 
Any  person  that  hath  a mind  to  purchase  the  benefit  of 
this  washing,  for  himself  or  his  relations  and  friends, 
throws  a zeni  upon  the  mat,  which  is  spread  out  near  the 
beggar,  who  does  not  so  much  as  offer  to  return  him  any 
manner  of  thanks  for  it,  thinking  his  art  and  devotion 
deserve  still  better;  besides  that,  it  is  not  customary 
amongst  beggars  of  note  to  thank  people  for  their  charity. 
Any  one  who  hath  learned  the  proper  ceremonies  neces- 
sary to  make  the  Segaki  is  at  liberty  to  do  it. 


1 This  is  the  Sanscrit. 


PILGRIM  BEGGARS 


27 


“ Others  of  this  tribe,  who  make  up  far  the  greater 
part,  sit  upon  the  road  all  day  long  upon  a small,  coarse 
mat.  They  have  a flat  bell,  like  a broad  mortar,  lying 
before  them,  and  do  nothing  else  but  repeat,  with  a 
lamentable  singing  tune,  the  word  Namida,  which  is 
contracted  from  Namu  Amida  Butsu,  a short  form  of 
prayer  wherewith  they  address  Amida  as  the  patron 
and  advocate  of  departed  souls.  Meanwhile  they  beat 
almost  continually  with  a small  wooden  hammer  upon 
the  aforesaid  bell,  and  this,  they  say,  in  order  to  be  the 
sooner  heard  by  Amida,  and,  I am  apt  to  think,  not 
without  an  intent,  too,  to  be  the  better  taken  notice  of 
by  passengers. 

“ Another  sort  we  met  with  as  we  went  along  were 
differently  clad,  some  in  an  ecclesiastical,  others  in  a 
secular  habit.  These  stood  in  the  fields,  next  to  the 
road,  and  commonly  had  a sort  of  altar  standing  before 
them,  upon  which  they  placed  the  idol  of  their  Briareus, 
or  Kwannon,  as  they  call  him,  carved  in  wood  and  gilt; 
or  the  pictures  of  some  other  idols,  scurvily  done,  as,  for 
instance,  the  picture  of  Amida,  the  supreme  judge  of 
departed  souls ; of  Emma,  or  the  head-keeper  of  the 
prison,  whereunto  the  condemned  souls  are  confined ; of 
Jizo , or  the  supreme  commander  in  the  purgatory  of 
children ; and  some  others,  wherewith,  and  by  some  rep- 
resentations of  the  flames  and  torments  prepared  for  the 
wicked  in  a future  world,  they  endeavor  to  stir  up  in 
passengers  compassion  and  charity. 

“ Other  beggars,  and  these,  to  all  appearance,  hon- 
est enough,  are  met  sitting  along  the  road,  clad  much 
after  the  same  manner  with  the  Kwannon  begfsrars, 
with  a Jizo  staff  in  their  hand.  These  have  made 
vow  not  to  speak  during  a certain  time,  and  express 


28 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


their  want  and  desire  only  by  a sad,  dejected,  woeful 
countenance.1 

“ Not  to  mention  numberless  other  common  beggars, 
some  sick,  some  stout  and  lusty  enough,  who  get  people’s 
charity  by  praying,  singing,  playing  upon  fiddles,  guitars, 
and  other  musical  instruments,  or  performing  some  jug- 
gler’s tricks,  I will  close  the  account  of  this  vermin  with 
an  odd,  remarkable  sort  of  a beggar’s  music,  or  rather 
chime  of  bells,  we  sometimes,  but  rarely,  met  with  in  our 
journey  to  court.  A young  boy,  with  a sort  of  a wooden 
machine  pendent  from  his  neck,  and  a rope,  with  eight 
strings  about  it,  from  which  hang  down  eight’  bells,  of 
different  sounds,  turns  round  in  a circle,  with  a swift- 
ness scarce  credible,  in  such  a manner  that  both  the 
machine,  which  rests  upon  his  shoulders,  and  the  bells, 
turn  round  with  him  horizontally,  the  boy,  in  the  mean- 
while, with  great  dexterity  and  quickness,  beating  them 
with  two  hammers,  makes  a strange,  odd  sort  of  a mel- 
ody. To  increase  the  noise,  two  people  sitting  near  him 
beat,  one  upon  a large,  the  other  upon  a smaller  drum. 
Those  who  are  pleased  with  their  performance  throw 
them  some  zeni  as  they  pass.2 

1 The  letters  of  the  Jesuit  missionaries  contain  accounts  of  Buddhist 
devotees  who  went  so  far  as  to  drown  or  otherwise  destroy  themselves. 
Kampfer,  and  the  writers  since  his  time,  make  no  mention  of  such 
extreme  fanaticism,  which,  however,  is  a natural  outgrowth  from  the 
doctrine  of  the  Buddhists. 

2 Great  numbers  of  the  Japanese  musicians,  as  Kampfer  tells  us  in 
another  place,  are  blind  men,  who  constitute  a sort  of  order  or  society 
which  boasts  as  its  legendary  founder  a certain  general  of  the  family 
of  the  Heiji,  who,  at  the  time  of  the  civil  war  which  ended  in  the  de- 
struction of  that  family,  was  taken  prisoner  by  Yoritomo.  Notwith- 
standing repeated  attempts  at  escape,  he  was  very  kindly  treated,  and 
was  pressed  to  enter  into  the  service  of  his  captor.  But,  not  being  able 
to  look  upon  the  destroyer  of  the  Heiji  without  an  irresistible  desire  to 


COURTESANS 


29 


“ Tlie  crowd  and  throng  upon  the  roads  is  not  a little 
increased  by  numberless  small  retail  merchants,  and 
children  of  country  people,  who  run  about  from  morning 
to  night,  following  travellers,  and  offering  them  for  sale 
their  poor,  for  the  most  part  eatable,  merchandise,  — 
such  as  several  cakes  and  sweetmeats,  wherein  the  quan- 
tity of  sugar  is  so  inconsiderable  that  it  is  scarce  per- 
ceptible, other  cakes,  of  different  sorts,  made  of  flour, 
roots  boiled  in  water  and  salt,  road-books,  straw  shoes 
for  horses  and  men,  ropes,  strings,  toothpickers,  and  a 
multitude  of  other  trifles,  made  of  wood,  straw,  reed,  and 
bamboos. 

“ Nor  must  I forget  to  take  notice  of  the  numberless 
wenches,  the  great  and  small  inns,  and  the  tea-booths 
and  cook-shops  in  villages  and  hamlets  are  furnished 
withal.  About  noon,  when  they  have  done  dressing  and 
painting  themselves,  they  make  their  appearance,  stand- 
ing under  the  door  of  the  house,  or  sitting  upon  the 
small  gallery  around  it,  whence,  with  a smiling  counte- 
nance and  good  words,  they  invite  the  travelling  troops 
that  pass  by  to  call  in  at  their  inn,  preferably  to  others. 
In  some  places,  where  there  are  several  inns  standing 
near  one  another,  they  make,  with  their  chattering  and 
rattling,  no  inconsiderable  noise,  and  prove  not  a little 
troublesome. 

“ I cannot  forbear  mentioning  in  this  place  a small 

kill  him,  not  to  be  outdone  in  generosity,  he  plucked  out  his  eyes  and 
presented  them  to  Yoritomo  on  a plate! 

There  is  another  — more  ancient,  but  less  numerous  — order  of  the 
blind,  composed  exclusively  of  ecclesiastical  persons,  and  claiming  as 
its  founder  a legendary  prince,  who  cried  himself  blind  at  the  death  of 
his  beautiful  mistress. 

The  blind  are  numerous,  and  disorders  of  the  eyes  are  very  common 
in  Japan. 


30 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


mistake  of  Mr.  Caron,  in  his  account  of  Japan,  where  he 
shows  so  tender  a regard  for  the  honor  of  the  Japanese 
sex  (perhaps  out  of  respect  to  his  lady,  who  was  a Japan 
woman)  as  to  assert  that,  except  in  the  privileged  houses 
devoted  to  it,  this  trade  is  not  elsewhere  carried  on.  It 
is  unquestionably  true  that  there  is  hardly  a public  inn 
upon  the  great  island  Nippon,  but  what  is  provided 
with  courtesans,  and  if  too  many  customers  resort  to 
one  place,  the  neighboring  inn-keepers  will  lend  their 
wenches,  on  condition  that  what  money  they  get  shall 
be  faithfully  paid  them.  Nor  is  it  a new  custom  come 
up  but  lately,  or  since  Mr.  Caron’s  time.  On  the  con- 
trary, it  is  of  very  old  date,  and  took  its  rise,  as  the 
Japanese  say,  many  hundred  years  ago,  in  the  times  of 
that  brave  general  and  first  secular  monarch,  Yoritomo, 
who,  apprehensive  lest  his  soldiers,  weary  of  his  long 
and  tedious  expeditions,  and  desirous  to  return  home 
to  their  wives  and  children,  should  desert  his  army, 
thought  it  much  more  advisable  to  indulge  them  in  this 
particular.” 


CHAPTER  XXXIV 


Departure  from  Nagasaki  — Train  of  the  Dutch  — The  Day’s  Journey  — 
Treatment  of  the  Dutch  — Respect  shown  them  in  the  Island  of  Shimo 
— Care  with  which  they  are  watched  — Inns  at  which  they  lodge  — 
Their  Reception  and  Treatment  there  — Politeness  of  the  Japanese  — 
Lucky  and  Unlucky  Days  — Seimei,  the  Astrologer. 


“A  EL  the  princes,  lords,  and  vassals  of  the  Japanese 
empire  being  obliged,”  says  Kampfer,  “ to 
make  their  appearance  at  court  once  a year, 
it  hath  been  determined  by  the  emperor  what  time  and 
what  day  they  are  to  set  out  on  their  journey.  The 
same  is  observed  with  regard  to  the  Dutch,  and  the  fif- 
teenth or  sixteenth  day  of  the  first  Japanese  month, 
which  commonly  falls  in  with  the  middle  of  our  Feb- 
ruary, hath  been  fixed  for  our  constant  departure. 
Towards  that  time  we  get  everything  ready  to  set  out, 
having  first  sent  by  sea,  as  already  mentioned,  to  the 
city  of  Shimonoseki  the  presents  we  are  to  make,  sorted 
and  carefully  packed,  together  with  the  other  heavy 
baggage,  and  the  victuals  and  kitchen  furniture  for  our 
future  travels.  Three  or  four  weeks  after,  and  a few 
days  before  our  departure,  our  president,  attended  witli 
his  usual  train,  goes  to  visit  the  two  governors  of  Na- 
gasaki, at  their  palaces,  to  take  his  leave  of  them,  and 
to  recommend  the  Dutch  who  remain  in  our  factory  to 
their  favor  and  protection.  The  next  day,  all  the  goods 
and  other  things  which  must  be  carried  along  with  us 
are  marked  — every  bale  or  trunk  — with  a small  board, 
whereupon  is  writ  the  possessor’s  name,  and  the  contents. 


32 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


The  day  of  our  departure,  all  the  officers  of  our  island, 
and  all  persons  who  are  any  ways  concerned  with 
our  affairs,  particularly  the  future  companions  of  our 
voyage,  come  over  to  Deshima  early  in  the  morning. 
They  are  followed  soon  after  by  both  governors,  attended 
with  their  whole  numerous  court,  or  else  by  their  depu- 
ties, who  come  to  wish  us  a good  journey.  The  govern- 
ors — or  their  deputies  — having  been  entertained  as 
usual  upon  this  occasion,  and  taken  their  leave,  are  by 
us  accompanied  out  of  our  island,  which  is  done  com- 
monly about  nine  in  the  morning,  at  which  time,  also, 
we  set  out  on  our  journey.  The  Bugio,  or  commander- 
in-chief,  of  our  train,  and  the  Dutch  president,  enter 
their  norimono.  The  chief  interpreter,  if  he  be  old,  is 
carried  in  an  ordinary  kago;  others  reount  on  horse- 
back, and  the  servants  go  afoot.  All  the  Japanese  offi- 
cers of  our  island,  and  several  friends  and  acquaintances 
of  our  Japanese  companions,  keep  us  company  out  of 
the  town  so  far  as  the  next  inn. 

“ Our  train  is  not  the  same  in  the  three  several  parts 
of  our  journey.  Over  the  island  Iviushiu  it  may  amount, 
with  all  the  servants  and  footmen,  as  also  the  gentle- 
men whom  the  lords  of  the  several  provinces  we  pass 
through  send  to  compliment  us,  and  to  keep  us  company 
during  our  stay  iu  their  dominions,  to  about  an  hundred 
persons.  In  our  voyage  by  sea  it  is  not  much  less,  all 
the  sailors  and  watermen  taken  in.  In  the  last  part, 
over  the  great  island  Nippon,  from  Osaka  to  Yedo,  it  is 
considerably  greater,  and  consists  of  no  less  than  an 
hundred  and  fifty  people,  and  this,  by  reason  of  the  pres- 
ents and  other  goods  which  came  from  Nagasaki,  as  far 
as  Osaka  by  sea,  but  must  now  be  taken  out  and  carried 
by  land  to  Yedo,  by  horses  and  men. 


Japanese  Garden 


DUTCH  JOURNEY  TO  COURT 


33 


“ All  our  heavy  baggage  is  commonly  sent  away  some 
hours  before  we  set  out  ourselves,  lest  it  should  be  a hin- 
drance to  us,  as,  also,  to  give  timely  notice  to  our  land- 
lords of  our  arrival.  We  set  out  early  in  the  morning, 
and,  save  only  one  hour  for  dinner,  travel  till  evening,  and 
sometimes  till  late  at  night,  making  from  ten  to  thirteen 
Japanese  leagues  a day.  In  our  voyage  by  sea  we  put 
into  some  harbor,  and  come  to  an  anchor  every  night, 
advancing  forty  Japanese  water-leagues  a day  at  farthest. 

“We  are  better  treated,  and  more  honorably  received, 
in  our  journey  over  Kiushiii  than  upon  the  great  island 
Nippon,  though  everywhere  we  have  much  more  civility 
shown  us  by  the  inhabitants  of  the  cities  and  districts 
through  which  we  pass,  than  by  our  Nagasakian  com- 
panions and  our  own  servants,  who  eat  our  bread  and 
travel  at  our  expense.  In  our  journey  across  the  island 
Kiushiu  we  receive  nearly  the  same  honors  and  civility 
from  the  lords  of  the  several  provinces  we  pass  through 
as  they  show  to  travelling  princes  and  their  retinues. 
The  roads  are  swept  and  cleaned  before  us,  and  in  cities 
and  villages  they  are  watered  to  lay  the  dust.  The  com- 
mon people,  laborers,  and  idle  spectators,  who  are  so  very 
troublesome  to  travellers  upon  the  the  great  island  Nip- 
pon, are  kept  out  of  the  way,  and  the  inhabitants  of  the 
houses  on  either  side  of  the  roads  and  streets  see  us  go 
by,  either  sitting  in  the  back  part  of  their  houses,  or 
kneeling  in  the  fore  part,  behind  a screen,  with  great 
respect  and  in  a profound  silence.  All  the  princes  and 
lords  whose  dominions  we  are  to  pass  through  send  one 
of  their  noblemen  to  compliment  us,  as  soon  as  we  enter 
upon  their  territories;  but,  as  he  is  not  suffered  to 
address  us  in  person,  he  makes  his  compliment  in  his 
master’s  name  to  the  Bugio,  or  commander-in-chief  of 

VOL.  II.  — 3 


34 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


our  train,  and  to  the  chief  interpreter,  offering,  at  the 
same  time,  what  houses  and  men  we  want  for  us  and  our 
baggage.  He  likewise  orders  four  footmen  to  walk  by 
every  Dutchman’s  side,  and  two  gentlemen  of  some  note 
at  his  court,  who  are  clad  in  black  silk,  with  staffs  in 
their  hands,  to  precede  the  whole  train.  After  this 
manner  they  lead  us  through  their  master’s  territories, 
and,  when  we  come  to  the  limits  thereof,  the  Japanese 
companions  of  our  voyage  are  treated  with  sake  and 
sakana,  and  so  they  take  their  leave.  F or  our  passage 
over  the  hays  of  Omura  and  Shimabara  the  lords  of  these 
two  places  lend  us  their  own  pleasure-barges  and  their 
own  watermen  besides  that  they  furnish  us  with  abun- 
dance of  provisions,  without  expecting  even  so  much  as  a 
small  present  in  return  for  their  civil  and  courteous 
behavior ; and  yet  our  thievish  interpreters  never  miss  to 
lay  hold  of  this  advantage,  putting  this  article  upon  our 
accounts  as  if  we  had  actually  been  at  the  expense ; 
and  they  commonly  put  the  money  into  their  own 
pockets.  In  our  whole  journey  from  Nagasaki  to 
Kokura,  everybody  we  meet  with  shows  us  and  our  train 
that  deference  and  respect  which  is  due  only  to  the  prin- 
ces and  lords  of  the  country.  Private  travellers,  whether 
they  travel  on  foot  or  on  horseback,  must  retire  out  of 
the  way,  — those  who  hesitate  about  it  being  compelled 
to  it  by  the  officers,  — and,  bareheaded,  humbly  bowing, 
wait  in  the  next  field  till  our  whole  retinue  is  gone  by. 
I took  notice  of  some  country  people,  who  do  not  only 
retire  out  of  the  way,  but  turn  us  their  back,  as  not 
worthy  to  behold  us,  — the  greatest  mark  of  civility  a 
Japanese  can  possibly  show.  None,  or  but  few,  of  these 
public  marks  of  honor  and  respect  are  shown  us  in  our 
journey  over  the  great  isLand  Nippon.” 


INCIDENTS  OF  THE  JOURNEY 


35 


“ As  to  what  concerns  our  accommodation  on  the  road, 
the  same  is  — with  regard  to  the  carriage  of  us  and  of 
our  baggage,  the  number  of  horses  and  men  provided 
for  that  purpose,  the  inns,  lodgings,  eating,  and  attend- 
ance — as  good  for  our  money  as  we  could  possibly 
desire.  But,  on  the  other  hand,  if  we  consider  the  nar- 
row compass  allowed  us,  we  have  too  much  reason  to 
complain ; for  we  are  treated  in  a manner  like  prisoners, 
deprived  of  all  liberty,  excepting  that  of  looking  about 
the  country  from  our  horses,  or  out  of  our  kago,  which, 
indeed,  it  is  impossible  for  them  to  deny  us.  As  soon  as 
a Dutchman  alights  from  his  horse  (which  is  taken  very 
ill,  unless  urgent  necessity  obliges  him),  he  that  rides 
before  our  train,  and  the  whole  train  after  him,  must 
stop  suddenly,  and  the  Dosliin  and  two  other  attendants 
must  come  down  from  their  horses  to  take  immediate 
care  of  him.  Nay,  they  watch  us  to  that  degree  that  they 
will  not  leave  us  alone,  not  even  for  the  most  necessary 
occasions.  The  Bugio,  or  commander-in-chief  of  our 
train,  studies  day  and  night,  not  only  the  contents  of  his 
instructions,  but  the  journals  of  two  or  three  preceding 
journeys,  in  order  exactly,  and  step  by  step,  to  follow 
the  actions  and  behavior  of  his  predecessors.  ’T  is 
looked  upon  as  the  most  convincing  proof  of  his  faith- 
fulness and  good  conduct  still  to  exceed  them.  Nay, 
some  of  these  blockheads  are  so  capricious  that  no  acci- 
dent whatever  can  oblige  them  to  go  to  any  other  inns 
but  those  we  had  been  at  the  year  before,  even  though 
we  should,  upon  this  account,  be  forced  in  the  worst 
weather,  with  the  greatest  inconveniency,  and  at  the 
veiy  peril  of  our  lives,  to  travel  till  late  at  night. 

“ We  go  to  the  same  inns  which  the  princes  and  lords 
of  the  country  resort  to,  that  is,  to  the  very  best  of  every 


36 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


place.  The  apartments  are  at  that  time  hung  with  the 
colors  and  arms  of  the  Dutch  East  India  Company,  and 
this  in  order  to  notify  to  the  neighborhood  who  they  be 
that  lodge  there,  as  is  customary  in  the  country.  We 
always  go  to  the  same  inns,  with  this  difference  only, 
that,  upon  our  return  from  Yedo,  we  lie  at  the  place  we 
dined  at  in  going  up,  by  this  means  equally  to  divide 
the  trouble,  which  is  much  greater  at  night  than  at  din- 
ner. We  always  take  up  our  lodging  in  the  back  apart- 
ment of  the  house,  which  is  by  much  the  pleasantest; 
also  otherwise,  as  has  been  mentioned,  reckoned  the 
chief.  The  landlord  observes  the  same  customs  upon 
our  arrival  as  upon  the  arrival  of  the  princes  and  lords 
of  the  empire.  He  comes  out  of  the  town  or  village  into 
the  fields  to  meet  us,  clad  in  a kamishimo,  or  garment  of 
ceremony,  and  wearing  a short  scymetar  stuck  in  his  gir- 
dle, making  his  compliments  with  a low  bow,  which 
before  tbe  norimono  of  the  Bugio  and  our  Resident  is  so 
low,  that  he  touches  the  ground  with  his  hands  and 
almost  with  his  forehead.  This  done,  he  hastens  back 
to  his  house,  and  receives  us  at  the  entry  a second  time, 
in  the  same  manner,  and  with  the  same  compliments. 

“ As  soon  as  we  are  come  to  the  inn,  our  guardians 
and  keepers  carry  us  forthwith  across  the  house  to  our 
apartments.  Nor,  indeed,  are  we  so  much  displeased  at 
this,  since  the  number  of  spectators  and  the  petulant 
scoffing  of  the  children,  but,  above  all,  the  exhaustion 
of  a fatiguing  journey,  make  us  desirous  to  take  our 
rest,  the  sooner  the  better.  We  are,  as  it  were,  confined 
to  our  apartments,  having  no  other  liberty  but  to  walk 
out  into  the  small  garden  behind  the  house.  All  other 
avenues,  all  the  doors,  windows,  and  holes  which  open 
any  prospect  towards  the  streets  or  country,  are  carefully 


RECEPTION  AT  THE  INNS 


37 


shut  and  nailed  up,  in  order,  as  they  would  fain  per- 
suade us,  to  defend  us  and  our  goods  from  thieves,  hut 
in  fact  to  watch  and  guard  us  as  thieves  and  deserters. 
It  must  be  owned,  however,  that  this  superabundant  care 
and  watchfulness  is  considerably  lessened  upon  our 
return,  when  we  have  found  means  to  insinuate  our- 
selves into  their  favor,  and  by  presents  and  otherwise  to 
procure  their  connivance. 

“The  Bugio  takes  possession  of  the  best  apartment 
after  ours.  The  several  rooms  next  to  our  own  are 
taken  up  by  the  Ddshin,  interpreters,  and  other  chief 
officers  of  our  retinue,  in  order  to  be  always  near  at  hand 
to  watch  our  conduct,  and  to  care  that  none  of  our  land- 
lord’s domestics  nor  any  other  person  presume  to  come 
into  our  apartment,  unless  it  be  by  their  leave  and  in 
their  presence ; and  in  their  absence  they  commit  this 
care  to  some  of  their  own  or  our  servants  ; though  all  the 
companions  of  our  voyage  in  general  are  strictly  charged 
to  have  a watchful  eye  over  us.  Those  who  exceed 
their  fellow-servants  in  vigilance  are,  by  way  of  encour- 
agement, permitted  to  make  the  journey  again  the  next 
year.  Otherwise  they  stand  excluded  for  two  years. 

“As  soon  as  we  have  taken  possession  of  our  apart- 
ment, in  comes  the  landlord  with  some  of  his  chief 
male  domestics,  each  with  a dish  of  tea  in  his  hand, 
which  they  present  to  every  one  of  us  with  a low  bow, 
according  to  his  rank  and  dignity,  and  repeating,  with 
a submissive,  deep-fetched  voice,  the  words,  ah!  ah! 
ah  ! They  are  all  clad  in  their  garments  of  ceremony, 
which  they  wear  only  upon  great  occasions,  and  have 
each  a short  scymetar  stuck  in  his  girdle,  which  they 
never  quit,  so  long  as  the  company  stays  in  the  house. 
This  done,  the  necessary  apparatus  for  smoking  is 


38 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


brought  in,  consisting  of  a board  of  wood  or  brass, 
though  not  always  of  the  same  structure,  upon  which 
are  placed  a small  fire-pan  with  coals,  a pot  to  spit  in, 
a small  box  filled  with  tobacco  cut  small,  and  some  long 
pipes  with  small  brass  heads ; as  also  another  japanned 
board,  or  dish,  with  Sakana ,!  that  is,  something  to  eat, 
as,  for  instance,  several  sorts  of  fruits,  figs,  nuts,  sev- 
eral sorts  of  cakes,  chiefly  manju,  and  rice  cakes  hot, 
several  sorts  of  roots  boiled  in  water,  sweetmeats,  and 
other  trumperies  of  this  kind.  All  these  things  are 
brought  first  into  the  Bugio’s  room,  then  into  ours.  As 
to  other  necessaries  travellers  may  have  occasion  for, 
they  are  generally,  in  the  case  of  native  travellers, 
served  by  the  house-maids.  These  wenches  also  wait  at 
table,  taking  that  opportunity  to  engage  their  guests  to 
further  favors.  But  it  is  quite  otherwise  with  us;  for 
even  the  landlords  themselves  and  their  male  domes- 
tics, after  they  have  presented  us  with  a dish  of  tea,  as 
above  said,  are  not  suffered  upon  any  account  whatever 
to  enter  our  apartments ; but  whatever  we  want  it  is  the 
sole  business  of  our  own  servants  to  provide  us  with. 

“There  are  no  other  spitting-pots  brought  into  the 
room  but  that  which  comes  along  with  the  tobacco.  If 
there  be  occasion  for  more  they  make  use  of  small  pieces 
of  bamboo,  a hand  broad  and  high,  sawed  from  between 
the  joints  and  hollowed.  The  candles  brought  in  at 
night  are  hollow  in  the  middle ; the  wick,  which  is  of 
paper,  being  wound  about  a wooden  stick  before  the 
tallow  is  laid  on.  For  this  reason,  also,  the  candle- 
sticks have  a punch  or  bodkin  at  top,  which  the  candles 

1 Froez,  in  one  of  his  letters,  defines  this  Japanese  word  as  signify- 
ing a kind  of  salted  vegetable,  like  olives.  It  seems  to  include  all  kinds 
of  refreshment  occasionally  offered  to  visitors. 


AT  AND  AFTER  MEALS 


39 


are  fixed  upon.  They  burn  very  quick,  and  make  a 
great  deal  of  smoke  and  smell,  the  oil  or  tallow  being 
made  of  the  berries  of  bay-trees,  camphor-trees,  and 
some  others  of  the  kind.  It  is  somewhat  odd  and 
ridiculous  to  see  the  whirling  motion  of  the  ascending 
smoke  followed  by  the  flame,  when  the  candle  is  taken 
off  the  punch  at  the  top  of  the  candlestick.  Instead  of 
lamps,  they  make  use  of  small,  flat,  earthen  vessels, 
filled  with  train-oil  made  of  the  fat  of  whales,  or  of  oil 
made  of  cotton-seed.  The  wick  is  made  of  rush,  and 
the  abovesaid  earthen  vessel  stands  in  another  filled 
with  water,  or  in  a square  lantern,  that,  in  case  the  oil 
should  by  chance  take  fire,  no  damage  may  thereupon 
come  to  the  house. 

“The  Japanese,  in  their  journeys,  sit  down  to  table 
thrice  a day,  besides  what  they  eat  between  meals. 
They  begin  early  in  the  morning  and  before  break  of 
day,  at  least  before  they  set  out,  with  a good,  substan- 
tial breakfast;  then  follows  dinner  at  noon,  and  the  day 
is  concluded  with  a plentiful  supper  at  night.  It  being 
forbid  to  play  at  cards,  they  sit  after  meals,  drinking 
and  singing  some  songs,  to  make  one  another  merry,  or 
else  they  propose  some  riddles  round,  or  play  at  some 
other  game,  and  he  that  cannot  explain  the  riddle,  or 
loses  the  game,  is  obliged  to  drink  a glass.  It  is  again 
quite  otherwise  with  us,  for  we  sit  at  table  and  eat  our 
victuals  very  quietly.  Our  cloth  is  laid,  and  the  dishes 
dressed  after  the  European  manner,  but  by  Japanese 
cooks.  We  are  presented,  besides,  by  the  landlord, 
each  with  a Japanese  dish.  We  drink  European  wines 
and  the  rice-beer  of  the  country  hot.  All  our  diversion 
is  confined,  in  the  daytime,  to  the  small  garden  which 
is  behind  the  house;  at  night  to  the  bath,  in  case  we 


40 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


please  to  make  use  of  it.  No  other  pleasure  is  allowed 
us,  no  manner  of  conversation  with  the  domestics,  male 
or  female,  excepting  what,  through  the  connivance  of 
our  inspectors,  some  of  us  find  means  to  procure  at 
night  in  private  and  in  their  own  rooms. 

“ When  everything  is  ready  for  us  to  set  out  again, 
the  landlord  is  called,  and  our  president,  in  presence  of 
the  two  interpreters,  pays  him  the  reckoning  in  gold, 
laid  upon  a small  salver.  He  draws  near,  in  a creeping 
posture,  kneeling,  holding  his  hands  down  to  the  floor, 
and  when  he  takes  the  salver  which  the  money  is  laid 
upon,  he  bows  down  his  forehead  almost  quite  to  the 
ground,  in  token  of  submission  and  gratitude,  uttering 
with  a deep  voice  the  words  ah!  ah!  ah!  whereby  in 
this  country  inferiors  show  their  deference  and  respect 
to  their  superiors.  lie  then  prepares  to  make  the  same 
compliment  to  the  other  Dutchmen ; but  our  interpreters 
generally  excuse  him  this  trouble,  and  make  him  return 
in  the  same  crawling  posture.  Every  landlord  hath  two 
kohan  paid  him  for  dinner,  and  three  for  supper  and 
lodgings  at  night.  For  this  money  he  is  to  provide 
victuals  enough  for  our  whole  train,  the  horses,  the 
men  that  look  after  them,  and  porters  only  excepted. 
The  same  sum  is  paid  to  the  landlords  in  the  cities, 
where  we  stay  some  days,  as  at  Osaka,  Miyako,  and 
Yedo,  namely,  five  koban  a day,  without  any  further 
recompense.  The  reason  of  our  being  kept  so  cheap,  as 
to  victuals  and  lodging,  is  because  this  sum  was  agreed 
on  with  our  landlords  a long  while  ago,  when  our  train 
was  not  yet  so  bulky  as  it  now  is.1  It  is  a custom  in 

1 The  total  expense  of  the  entire  journey,  including  the  presents  to 
the  emperor  and  others,  is  estimated  by  Kampfer  at  twenty  thousand 
rix  dollars,  equivalent  to  about  the  same  number  of  our  dollars. 


\ Daimvo’s  1’kocus.sion 


UNIVERSAL  POLITENESS 


41 


this  country,  which  we  likewise  observe,  that  guests, 
before  they  quit  the  inn,  order  their  servants  to  sweep 
the  room  they  lodged  in,  not  to  leave  any  dirt,  or  un- 
grateful dust,  behind  them. 

“From  this  reasonable  behavior  of  the  landlords,  the 
reader  may  judge  of  the  civility  of  the  whole  nation  in 
general,  always  excepting  our  own  officers  and  servants. 
I must  own  that,  in  the  visits  we  made  or  received  in 
our  journey,  we  found  the  same  to  be  greater  than  could 
be  expected  from  the  most  civilized  nations.  The 
behavior  of  the  Japanese,  from  the  meanest  countryman 
up  to  the  greatest  prince  or  lord,  is  such  that  the  whole 
empire  might  be  called  a school  of  civility  and  good 
manners.  They  have  so  much  sense  and  innate  curi- 
osity, that,  if  they  were  not  absolutely  denied  a free  and 
open  conversation  and  correspondence  with  foreigners, 
they  would  receive  them  with  the  utmost  kindness  and 
pleasure.  In  some  towns  and  villages  only  we  took 
notice  that  the  young  boys,  who  are  childish  all  over 
the  world,  would  run  after  us,  calling  us  names,  and 
cracking  some  malicious  jests  or  other,  levelled  at  the 
Chinese,  whom  they  take  us  to  be.  One  of  the  most 
common,  and  not  much  different  from  a like  sort  of  a 
compliment  which  is  commonly  made  to  Jews  in  Ger- 
many, is  Tujin  baibai?  which,  in  broken  Chinese,  signi- 
fies, Chinese , have  ye  nothing  to  truck  ? 

“ It  may  not  be  amiss  to  observe,  that  it  is  not  an 
indifferent  matter  to  travellers  in  this  country  what  day 
they  set  out  on  their  journey;  for  they  must  choose  for 
their  departure  a fortunate  day,  for  which  purpose  they 
make  use  of  a particular  table,  printed  in  all  their  road- 
books, which  they  say  hath  been  observed  to  hold  true 
by  a continued  experience  of  many  ages,  and  wherein 


42 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


are  set  down  all  the  unfortunate  days  of  every  month. 
However,  the  most  sensible  of  the  Japanese  have  hut 
little  regard  for  this  superstitious  table,  which  is  more 
credited  by  the  common  people,  the  mountain  priests, 
and  monks. 

“To  give  the  more  authority  to  this  table,  they  say 
that  it  was  invented  by  the  astrologer  Seimei,  a man  of 
great  quality  and  very  eminent  in  his  art.  King  Abeno 
Tashima  was  his  father,  and  a fox  his  mother,  to  whom 
Abeno  Tashima  was  married  upon  the  following  occa- 
sion. He  once  happened  with  a servant  of  his  to  he  in 
the  temple  of  Inari,  who  is  the  god  and  protector  of 
the  foxes.  Meanwhile  some  courtiers  were  hunting  the 
fox  without  doors,  in  order  to  make  use  of  the  lungs  for 
the  preparation  of  a certain  medicine.  It  happened 
upon  this  that  a young  fox,  pursued  by  the  hunters, 
fled  into  the  temple,  which  stood  open,  and  took  shelter 
in  the  very  bosom  of  Tashima.  The  king,  unwilling  to 
deliver  up  the  poor  creature  to  the  unmerciful  hunters, 
was  forced  to  defend  himself  and  his  fox,  and  to  repel 
force  by  force,  wherein  he  behaved  himself  with  so 
much  bravery  and  success  that,  having  defeated  the 
hunters,  he  set  the  fox  at  liberty.  The  hunters, 
ashamed  and  highly  offended  at  the  courageous  behavior 
of  the  king,  seized,  in  the  height  of  their  resentment, 
an  opportunity  which  offered  to  kill  his  royal  father. 
Tashima  mustered  up  all  his  courage  and  prudence  to 
revenge  his  father’s  death,  and  with  so  much  success 
that  he  killed  the  traitors  with  his  own  hands.  The 
fox,  to  return  his  gratitude,  appeared  to  him,  after  the 
victory  which  he  obtained  over  the  murderers  of  his 
father,  in  the  shape  of  a lady  of  incomparable  beauty, 
and  so  fired  his  breast  with  love  that  he  took  her  to  his 


SEIMEI  THE  ASTROLOGER 


43 


wife.  It  was  by  her  he  had  this  son,  who  was  endowed 
with  divine  wisdom,  and  the  precious  gift  of  prognos- 
ticating and  foretelling  things  to  come.  Nor  did  he 
know  that  his  wife  had  been  that  very  fox  whose  life  he 
saved  with  so  much  courage  in  the  temple  of  Inari,  till, 
soon  after,  her  tail  and  other  parts  beginning  to  grow, 
she  resumed  by  degrees  her  former  shape.1 

“Seimei  not  only  calculated  the  above  table  by  the 
knowledge  he  had  acquired  of  the  motion  and  influence 
of  the  stars,  but,  as  he  was  at  the  same  time  a perfect 
master  of  the  cabalistic  sciences,  he  found  out  certain 
words  which  he  brought  together  into  an  Ufa,  or  verse, 

1 The  fox  is  regarded  by  the  Japanese  as  a sort  of  divinity,  though, 
according  to  Siebold,  tlioy  seem  in  doubt  whether  to  reckon  it  a god  or 
devil.  If  a Japanese  is  placed  in  circumstances  of  doubt  or  difficulty, 
he  sets  out  a platter  of  rice  and  beans  as  a sacrifice  to  his  fox  ; and  if 
the  next  day  any  of  it  is  gone,  that  is  regarded  as  a favorable  omen. 
Wonderful  stories  (equal  to  any  of  our  spirit-rapping  miracles)  are  told 
of  the  doings  of  these  foxes.  Titsingh  gives  the  following  by  way  of 
specimen : The  grandfather  of  his  friend,  the  imperial  treasurer  of 
Nagasaki,  and  who  had  in  his  time  filled  the  same  office,  despatched 
one  day  a courier  to  Yedo  with  very  important  letters  for  the  coun- 
cillors of  state.  A few  days  after  he  discovered  that  one  of  the  most 
important  of  the  letters  had  been  accidentally  left  out  of  the  package, 
— a forgetfulness  which  exposed  him  to  great  disgrace.  In  his  despair 
he  recurred  to  his  fox  and  offered  him  a sacrifice.  The  next  morning 
he  saw,  to  his  great  satisfaction,  that  some  of  it  had  been  eaten ; after 
which,  upon  going  into  his  cabinet,  the  letter  which  he  had  forgotten 
to  send  was  nowhere  to  be  found.  This  caused  him  great  uneasiness, 
till  he  received  a message  from  his  agent  at  Yedo,  who  informed  him 
that,  upon  opening  the  box  which  contained  the  despatches,  the  lock 
of  it  appeared  to  have  been  forced  by  a letter  pressed  in  between  the 
box  and  its  cover  from  without,  — the  very  same  letter,  as  it  proved, 
left  behind  at  Nagasaki.  The  more  intelligent,  says  Titsingh,  laugh  at 
this  superstition,  but  the  great  body  of  the  people  have  firm  faith  in  it. 
There  are  in  Japan,  according  to  Siebold,  two  species  of  foxes,  very 
much  like  the  ordinary  ones  of  Europe  and  America,  and,  from  the 
immunity  which  they  enjoy,  great  nuisances.  The  white  fox,  of  which 
the  skin  is  much  prized,  is  found  only  in  the  Kurile  Islands. 


44 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


the  repetition  of  which  is  believed  to  have  the  infallible 
virtue  of  keeping  off  all  those  misfortunes  which,  upon 
the  days  determined  in  the  table  to  be  unfortunate, 
would  otherwise  befall  travellers,  — this  verse  being  for 
the  use  and  satisfaction  of  poor  ordinary  servants,  who 
have  not  leisure  to  accommodate  themselves  to  the 
table,  but  must  go  when  and  wherever  they  are  sent  by 
their  masters.” 


CHAPTER  XXXV 


From  Nagasaki  to  Kokura  — Shimonoseki  — Water  Journey  to  Osaka  — 
Description  of  that  City  — Its  Castle  — Interview  with  the  Governors 
— From  Osaka  to  Miyako — Jodo  and  its  Castle  — Fushimi  — En- 
trance into  Miyako — Visit  to  the  Chief  Justice  and  the  Governors  — 
Description  of  Miyako — Palace  of  the  Dairi — Castle  — Manufac- 
tures and  Trade  — Authority  of  the  Chief  Justice  — Police  — Crimes. 

A T coming  out  of  Nagasaki,  on  his  first  journey  to 
court  (Tuesday,  February  13,  1091),  Kampfer 
noticed  the  idol  Jizo,  the  god  of  the  roads  and 
protector  of  travellers,  hewn  out  of  the  rock  in  nine  dif- 
ferent places.  At  the  next  village  stood  another  of  the 
same  sort,  about  three  feet  in  height,  on  a stone  pillar 
twice  as  high,  and  adorned  with  flowers.  Two  other 
smaller  stone  pillars,  hollow  at  top,  stood  before  the  idol, 
upon  which  were  placed  lamps,  for  travellers  to  light  in 
its  honor;  and  at  some  distance  stood  a basin  of  water, 
in  which  to  wash  the  hands  before  lighting  the  lamps. 

The  first  twelve  miles’  travelling,  which  was  very 
steep  and  mountainous,  brought  the  company  to  the 
shores  of  the  bay  of  Omura,  which  they  found  too 
shallow  for  vessels  of  size ; but  by  crossing  it  in  boats, 
furnished  by  the  prince  of  Omura,  each  rowed  by  four- 
teen watermen,  they  saved  a distance  of  ten  miles  or 
more.  The  distance  across  was  th i rty  miles.  The  towm 
of  Omura  was  seeti  on  the  right  at  the  head  of  the  hay, 
and  beyond  it  a smoking  mountain.  The  shells  of  this 
bay  were  reported  to  yield  pearls.1 

1 Of  these  pearls  Kampfer  says,  in  another  place,  that  they  are 
found  almost  everywhere  about  Riushiu  in  oysters  and  several  other 


46 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


The  second  day  (Wednesday,  February  14)  they 
passed  an  old  camphor-tree,  estimated  to  be  thirty-six 
feet  in  circumference,  and  hollow  within.1  At  Shiwota, 
where  they  dined,  a seaport  on  the  gulf  of  Shimabara, 
was  a manufactory  of  large  earthen  pots,  used  by  ves- 
sels as  water-cakes,  and  also  of  china  ware,  made  of  a 
whitish,  fat  clay,  abundant  in  that  neighborhood.  The 
same  day  they  visited  a hot  spring,  much  frequented 
for  its  medicinal  effects,  and  provided  with  accommo- 
dations for  bathing.  There  are  several  others  in  the 
neighborhood.2 

Saga,  the  capital  of  the  province  of  Hizen,  through 
which  they  passed  the  next  day  (Thursday,  February 
15),  without  stopping,  was  found  to  be  a considerable 
place,  situated  not  far  from  the  western  border  of  the 
province,  near  the  head  of  the  bay  of  Shimabara.  “ The 
city,”  says  Kampfer,  “is  very  large,  but  extends  more 

sea  shells.  Everybody  is  at  liberty  to  fish  for  them.  Formerly  the 
natives  had  little  or  no  value  for  them  till  they  were  sought  for  by  the 
Chinese.  The  Japanese  pretend,  as  to  one  particular  kind,  that  when 
put  into  a box  full  of  a peculiar  sort  of  complexion-powder  made  of 
another  shell,  one  or  two  young  pearls  will  grow  out  at  the  sides,  and 
when  they  come  to  maturity,  as  they  do  in  two  or  three  years,  will 
drop  off ; but  Kampfer,  having  never  seen  this  phenomenon,  is  not 
willing  to  vouch  for  its  reality. 

1 The  same  tree  Kampfer  found  on  his  return  (May  6)  in  full  blos- 
som, and  a very  beautiful  sight.  It  was  noticed  as  still  standing  in 
182(5,  by  Siebold,  who  found  it  by  measurement  to  be  fifty  feet  in 
circumference. 

2 Caron  also  speaks  of  these  springs,  some  of  which  he  describes  as 
intermittent.  Some  are  boiling  hot,  and  their  waters  had  been  used,  as 
we  have  seen,  in  the  torture  of  the  Catholics.  They  are  all  found  in  a 
volcanic  mountain,  having  several  craters  which  eject  black  sand  and 
smoke.  In  the  interior  of  the  province  of  Higo,  on  the  opposite  shore 
of  the  gulf  of  Shimabara,  is  another  volcano.  The  province  of  Satsuma 
is  entirely  volcanic,  and  off  its  southern  extremity  is  an  island  that 
burns  incessantly.  — Klaproth,  from  Japanese  authorities,  “Asiatic 
Journal,"  vol.  xxx. 


SAGA,  CAPITAL  OF  HIZEN 


47 


in  length  than  in  breadth.  It  is  exceedingly  populous. 
Both  going  in  and  coming  out  we  found  strong  guards 
at  the  gates.  It  is  enclosed  with  walls,  but  more  for 
state  than  defence.  The  prince  or  petty  king  of  this 
province  resides  here  in  a large  castle,  which  commands 
the  city.  The  streets  are  large,  with  streams  of  water 
flowing  through  them.  The  houses  are  but  sorry  and 
low,  and  in  the  chief  streets  fitted  up  for  manufactures 
and  shopkeepers.  The  inhabitants  are  very  short,  but 
well  shaped,  particularly  the  women,  who  are  hand- 
somer, I think,  than  in  any  other  Asiatic  country,  but 
so  much  painted  that  one  would  be  apt  to  take  them  for 
wax  figures  rather  than  living  creatures.  Many  were 
noticed  who  seemed  little  more  than  girls,  yet  evidently 
the  mothers  of  several  children.  These  women  of  Hizen 
have  the  reputation  of  being  the  handsomest  in  Japan, 
next  to  those  of  Miyako.  This  province,  though  less 
wealthy  than  that  of  Satsuma,  is  reputed  to  be  about 
the  most  fertile  in  all  Japan,  being  particularly  famous 
for  its  rice,  of  which  it  produces  ten  different  sorts  or 
qualities,  one  of  which  is  reserved  for  the  special  use  of 
the  emperor.  The  rice-fields  were  observed  to  be  bor- 
dered with  tea-shrubs  about  six  feet  high ; but  as  they 
were  stripped  of  their  leaves,  th^  made  but  a naked 
and  sorry  appearance.” 

In  the  afternoon  our  travellers  passed  into  the  prov- 
ince of  Chikugo,  and  having  traversed  a small  but  very 
pleasant  wood  of  firs,  — a rare  sight  in  the  flat  parts  of 
the  country,  — they  saw  at  a distance  the  castle  of 
Kurume,  the  residence  of  the  prince  of  the  province.1 

1 On  Kampfer’s  second  journey  to  Yedo  (1602),  the  second  night 
was  passed  at  Kurume,  which  they  reached  by  crossing  the  bay  of  Shi- 
mabara  in  boats,  thus  leaving  the  principality  of  Omura  and  the  city 


48 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


Friday,  February  16,  mountains  were  encountered, 
which  they  passed  in  kago,  as  the  road  was  too  steep 
for  horseback -riding.  This  country,  forming  a part  of 
the  province  of  Chichuzen,  struck  Kampfer  as  not 
unlike  some  mountainous  and  woody  parts  of  Germany, 
but  no  cattle  were  seen  grazing,  except  a few  cows  and 
horses  for  carriage  and  ploughing.  The  people  were 
less  handsome  than  those  of  Hizen,  but  extremely  civil. 

The  next  day  (February  17),  after  passing,  in  the 
afternoon,  some  coal-mines,  whence  the  neighborhood 
was  supplied  with  fuel,  -they  reached  Kokura,  capital 
of  the  province  of  Buzen,  once  a large  town,  but  now 
much  decayed.  It  had  a large  castle  of  freestone,  with 
a few  cannon  and  a tower  of  six  stories,  the  usual  sign 
of  princely  residences.  A river  passed  through  the 
town,  crossed  by  a bridge  near  two  hundred  yards  long, 
but  it  was  too  shallow  to  admit  vessels  of  any  size.  At 
least  one  hundred  small  boats  were  drawn  up  on  the 
banks.  On  leaving  their  inn  where  they  had  stopped 
to  dine,  the  Dutch  found  the  square  in  front  of  it,  as 
well  as  the  bridge,  crowded  with  upwards  of  a thousand 
spectators,  chiefly  ordinary  people,  who  had  collected 
to  see  them,  and  who  knelt  in  profound  silence,  with- 
out motion  or  noise.  The  distance  of  this  place  from 
Nagasaki  was  reckoned  at  fifty-five  Japanese  miles,  and 
had  consumed  five  days. 

Embarking  in  boats,  the  Dutch  travellers  crossed  the 
strait  which  separates  Shimo  from  Nippon,  nanower 
here  than  anywhere  else,  less  than  three  miles  wide, 
though  the  town  of  Shimonoseki,  which  gives  its  name 
to  the  strait,  being  situated  at  the  bottom  of  an  inlet,  is 

of  Saga  on  their  left.  The  next  day  at  noon  1 1 i cyr  struck  into  the  road 
followed  on  the  first  journey. 


Image  or  Jizo 


OSAKA 


49 


near  twelve  miles  from  Kokura.  This  town,  in  the 
province  of  Nagato,  consisted  of  four  or  five  hundred 
houses,  built  chiefly  on  both  sides  of  one  long  street, 
with  a few  smaller  ones  terminating  in  it.  It  is  full 
of  shops  for  selling  provisions  and  stores  to  the  ships, 
which  daily  put  in  for  shelter  or  supplies,  and  of  which 
not  less  than  two  hundred  were  seen  at  anchor.  It 
also  had  a temple  to  Amida,  built  to  appease  the  ghost 
of  a young  prince  of  the  family  of  Heishi,  so  celebrated 
in  the  legendary  annals  of  the  Japanese,  whose  nurse, 
with  the  boy  in  her  arms,  is  said  to  have  thrown  herself 
headlong  into  the  strait  to  avoid  capture  by  his  father’s 
enemies,  at  the  time  of  the  ruin  of  that  family. 

The  voyage  from  Shimonoseki  to  Osaka  was  reckoned 
at  one  hundred  and  thirty-four  Japanese  water-miles, 
and  was  made  in  six  days,  the  vessel  coming  to  anchor 
every  night  in  good  harbors,  with  which  the  coast 
abounds.  This  voyage  lay  first  through  the  strait 
between  Shiruo  and  Nippon,  and  then  through  the 
strait  or  sea  between  Nippon  and  Shikoku,  which  was 
full  of  islands,  some  cultivated,  others  mere  rocks.  On 
the  main  land  on  either  side  snow-covered  mountains 
were  visible.  The  barge  could  proceed  no  further  than 
Hyogo,  a city  of  the  province  Settsu,  nearly  as  large  as 
Nagasaki.  Here  the  company  embarked  in  small  boats 
for  Osaka.  As  they  passed  along  they  saw  at  a distance 
the  imperial  city  of  Sakai,  three  or  four  Japanese  miles 
south  from  Osaka.  The  description  of  Osaka,  and  of 
the  journey  thence  to  Miyako,  is  thus  given  by  Kampfer: 

“Osaka,  one  of  the  five  imperial  cities,  is  agreeably 
seated  in  the  province  of  Settsu,  in  a fruitful  plain,  and 
on  the  banks  of  a navigable  river.  At  the  east  end  is  a 
strong  castle;  and  at  the  western  end,  two  strong, 

VOL.  II.  — 4 


50 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


stately  guard-houses,  which  separate  it  from  its  suburbs. 
Its  length  from  these  suburbs  to  the  above-mentioned 
castle  is  between  three  and  four  thousand  yards.  Its 
breadth  is  somewhat  less.  The  river  Jodogawa  runs 
on  the  north  side,  and  below  the  city  falls  into  the  sea. 
This  river  rises  a day  and  a half’s  journey  to  the  north- 
east, out  of  a midland  lake  in  the  province  of  Omi, 
which,  according  to  Japanese  histories,  arose  in  one  night, 
that  spot  which  it  now  fills  being  sunk  in  a violent  earth- 
quake. Coming  out  of  this  lake,  it  runs  by  the  small 
towns  Uji  and  Yodo,  from  which  latter  it  borrows  its 
name,  and  so  continues  down  to  Osaka.  About  a mile 
before  it  comes  to  this  city,  it  sends  off  one  of  its  arms 
straight  to  the  sea.  This  want,  if  any,  is  supplied  by 
two  other  rivers,  both  which  flow  into  it  just  above  the 
city,  on  the  north  side  of  the  castle,  where  there  are 
stately  bridges  over  them.  The  united  stream  having 
washed  one  third  of  the  city,  part  of  its  waters  are  con- 
veyed through  a broad  canal  to  supply  the  south  part, 
which  is  also  the  larger,  and  that  where  the  richest  in- 
habitants live.  For  this  purpose  several  smaller  chan- 
nels cut  from  the  large  one,  pass  through  some  of  the 
chief  streets,  deep  enough  to  be  navigable  for  small  boats, 
which  bring  goods  to  the  merchant’s  doors  — though 
some  are  muddy,  and  not  too  clean,  for  want  of  a suffi- 
cient quantity  and  run  of  water.  Upwards  of  an  hun- 
dred bridges,  many  extraordinarily  beautiful,  are  built 
over  them. 

“ A little  below  the  coming  out  of  the  above-mentioned 
canal  another  arm  arises  on  the  north  side  of  the  great 
stream,  which  is  shallow  and  not  navigable,  but  runs 
down  westward,  with  great  rapidity,  till  it  loses  itself  in 
the  sea.  The  middle  and  great  stream  still  continues 


BRIDGES  AND  STREETS 


51 


its  course  through  the  city,  at  the  lower  end  whereof  it 
turns  westward,  and  having  supplied  the  suburbs  and 
villages  which  lie  without  the  city,  by  many  lateral 
branches,  at  last  loses  itself  in  the  sea  through  several 
mouths.  This  river  is  narrow,  indeed,  but  deep  and 
navigable.  From  its  mouth  up  as  far  as  Osaka,  and 
higher,  there  are  seldom  less  than  a thousand  boats 
going  up  and  down,  some  with  merchants,  others  with 
the  princes  and  lords  who  live  to  the  west,  on  their  way 
to  and  from  Yedo.  The  banks  are  raised  on  both  sides 
into  ten  or  more  steps,  coarsely  hewn  of  freestone,  so 
that  they  look  like  one  continued  stairs,  and  one  may 
land  wherever  he  pleases.  Stately  bridges  are  laid  over 
the  river  at  every  three  or  four  hundred  paces’  distance. 
They  are  built  of  cedar  wood,  and  are  railed  on  both  sides, 
some  of  the  rails  being  adorned  at  top  with  brass  buttons. 
I counted  in  all  ten  such  bridges,  three  whereof  were 
particularly  remarkable,  because  of  their  length,  being 
laid  over  the  great  arm  of  the  river  where  it  is  broadest. 

“The  streets,  in  the  main,  are  narrow  but  regular, 
cutting  each  other  at  right  angles.  From  this  regular- 
ity, however,  we  must  except  that  part  of  the  city  which 
lies  towards  the  sea,  because  the  streets  there  run  along 
the  several  branches  of  the  river.  The  streets  are  very 
neat,  though  not  paved.  However,  for  the  conveniency 
of  walking,  there  is  a small  pavement  of  square  stones 
along  the  houses  on  each  side  of  the  street.  At  the  end 
of  every  street  are  strong  gates,  which  are  shut  at  night, 
when  nobody  is  suffered  to  pass  from  one  street  to  an- 
other without  special  leave  and  a passport  from  the 
Otona,  or  street  officer.  There  is  also  in  every  street  a 
place  railed  in,  where  they  keep  all  the  necessary  instru- 
ments in  case  of  fire.  Not  far  from  it  is  a covered  well, 


52 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


for  the  same  purpose.  The  houses  are,  according  to  the 
custom  of  the  country,  not  above  two  stories  high,  each 
story  of  nine  or  twelve  feet.  They  are  built  of  wood, 
lime,  and  clay.  The  front  offers  to  the  spectator’s  eye 
the  door,  and  a shop  where  the  merchants  sell  their 
goods,  or  else  an  open  room  where  artificers,  openly  and 
in  everybody’s  sight,  exercise  their  trade.  From  the 
upper  end  of  the  shop  or  room  hangs  down  a piece  of 
black  cloth,  partly  for  ornament,  partly  to  defend  them 
in  some  measure  from  the  wind  and  weather.  At  the 
same  place  hang  some  fine  patterns  of  what  is  sold  in 
the  shop.  The  roof  is  flat,  and  in  good  houses  covered 
with  black  tiles  laid  in  lime.  The  roofs  of  ordinary 
houses  are  covered  only  with  shavings  of  wood.  Within 
doors  all  the  houses  are  kept  clean  and  neat  to  admira- 
tion. The  staircases,  rails,  and  all  the  wainscoting, 
are  varnished.  The  floors  are  covered  with  neat  mats. 
The  rooms  are  separated  from  each  other  by  screens, 
upon  removal  of  which  several  small  rooms  may  he  en- 
larged into  one,  or  the  contrary  done  if  needful.  The 
walls  are  hung  with  shining  paper,  curiously  painted 
with  gold  and  silver  flowers.  The  upper  part  of  the 
wall,  for  some  inches  down  from  the  ceiling,  is  com- 
monly left  empty,  and  only  clayed  with  an  orange- 
colored  clay,  which  is  dug  up  about  this  city,  and  is, 
because  of  its  beautiful  color,  exported  into  other  prov- 
inces. The  mats,  doors,  and  screens  are  all  of  the  same 
size,  six  Japanese  feet  long  and  three  broad.  The  houses 
themselves,  and  their  several  rooms,  are  built  propor- 
tionably  according  to  a certain  number  of  mats,  more  or 
less.  There  is  commonly  a curious  garden  behind  the 
house,  such  as  I have  described  elsewhere.  Behind  the 
garden  is  the  bathing-stove,  and  sometimes  a vault,  or 


POPULATION  OF  OSAKA 


53 


rather  a small  room,  with  strong  walls  of  clay  and  lime, 
to  preserve,  in  case  of  tire,  the  richest  household  goods 
and  furniture. 

“ Osaka  is  extremely  populous,  and  if  we  believe 
what  the  boasting  Japanese  tell  us,  can  raise  an  army 
of  eighty  thousand  men  from  among  its  inhabitants.  It 
is  the  best  trading  town  in  Japan,  being  extraordinarily 
well  situated  for  carrying  on  a commerce  both  by  land 
and  water.  This  is  the  reason  why  it  is  so  well  inhab- 
ited by  rich  merchants,  artificers  and  manufacturers. 
Provisions  are  cheap,  notwithstanding  the  city  is  so  well 
peopled.  Whatever  tends  to  promote  luxury,  and  to 
gratify  all  sensual  pleasures,  may  he  had  at  as  easy  a 
rate  here  as  anywhere,  and  for  this  reason  the  Japanese 
call  Osaka  the  universal  theatre  of  pleasures  and  diver- 
sions. Plays  are  to  be  seen  daily,  both  in  public  and  in 
private  houses.  Mountebanks,  jugglers,  who  can  show 
some  artful  tricks,  and  all  the  raree-show  people  who 
have  either  some  uncommon,  or  monstrous  animal  to 
exhibit,  or  animals  taught  to  play  tricks,  resort  thither 
from  all  parts  of  the  empire,  being  sure  to  get  a better 
penny  here  than  anywhere  else.1  Hence  it  is  no  wonder 
that  numbers  of  strangers  and  travellers  daily  resort 
thither,  chiefly  rich  people,  as  to  a place  where  they  can 

1 “Some  years  ago,”  says  Kampfer,  “our  East  India  Company  sent 
over  from  Batavia  a Casuar  (a  large  East  India  bird,  who  would  swal- 
low stones  and  hot  coals)  as  a present  to  the  emperor.  This  bird  hav- 
ing the  sad  ill  luck  not  to  please  our  rigid  censors,  the  governors  of 
Nagasaki,  and  we  having  thereupon  been  ordered  to  send  him  back  to 
Batavia,  a rich  Japanese  assured  us  that  if  he  could  have  obtained 
leave  to  buy  him,  he  would  have  willingly  given  a thousand  taels  for 
him,  as  being  sure  within  a year’s  time  to  get  double  that  money  only 
by  showing  him  at  Osaka.”  The  mermaids  exhibited  in  Europe  and 
America  to  the  great  profit  of  enterprising  showmen,  have  been  of 
Japanese  manufacture. 


54 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


spend  their  time  and  money  with  much  greater  satisfac- 
tion than  perhaps  anywhere  else  in  the  empire.  The 
western  princes  and  lords  on  this  side  Osaka  all  have 
houses  in  this  city,  and  people  to  attend  them  in  their 
passage  through,  and  yet  they  are  not  permitted  to  stay 
longer  than  a night,  besides  that  upon  their  departure 
they  are  obliged  to  follow  a road  entirely  out  of  sight  of 
the  castle. 

“ The  water  which  is  drank  at  Osaka  tastes  a little 
brackish ; but  in  lieu  of  thereof  they  have  the  best  sake 
in  the  empire,  which  is  brewed  in  great  quantities  in  the 
neighboring  village,  Tennoji,  and  from  thence  exported 
into  most  other  provinces,  nay,  by  the  Dutch  and  Chi- 
nese, out  of  the  country. 

“ On  the  east  side  of  the  city,  in  a large  plain,  lies 
the  famous  castle  built  by  Taiko-Sama  [Toyotomi  Hide- 
yoshi].  Going  up  to  Miyako  we  pass  by  it.  It  is  square, 
about  an  hour’s  walking  in  circumference,  and  strongly 
fortified  with  round  bastions,  according  to  the  military 
architecture  of  the  country.  After  the  castle  of  Higo, 
it  hath  not  its  superior  in  extent,  magnificence,  and 
strength,  throughout  the  whole  empire.  On  the  north 
side  it  is  defended  by  the  river  Yodogawa,  which 
washes  its  walls.  On  the  east  side  its  walls  are  washed 
by  a tributary  river,  on  tbe  opposite  bank  of  which  lies 
a great  garden  belonging  to  the  castle.  The  south  and 
west  sides  border  upon  the  city.  The  moles,  or  but- 
tresses, which  support  the  outward  wall,  are  of  an  un- 
common bigness,  I believe  at  least  forty-two  feet  thick. 
They  are  built  to  support  a high,  strong  brick  wall,  lined 
with  free-stone,  which  at  its  upper  end  is  planted  with 
a row  of  firs  or  cedars. 

“The  day  after  our  arrival  (Sunday,  February  25)  we 


GOVERNOR  OF  OSAKA 


55 


were  admitted  to  an  audience  of  the  governor  of  the 
city,  to  which  we  were  carried  in  kago,  attended  by  our 
whole  train  of  interpreters  and  other  officers.  It  is  half 
an  hour’s  walking  from  our  inn  to  the  governor’s  palace, 
which  lies  at  the  end  of  the  city  in  a square  opposite 
the  castle.  Just  before  the  house  we  stepped  out  of  our 
kago,  and  put  on  each  a silk  cloak,  which  is  reckoned 
equal  to  the  garment  of  ceremony  which  the  Japanese 
wear  on  these  occasions.  Through  a passage  thirty 
paces  long  we  came  into  the  hall,  or  guard-house,  where 
we  were  received  by  two  of  the  governor’s  gentlemen, 
who  very  civilly  desired  us  to  sit  down.  Four  soldiers 
stood  upon  duty  on  our  left  as  we  came  in,  and  next  to 
them  we  found  eight  other  officers  of  the  governor’s 
court,  all  sitting  upon  their  knees  and  ankles.  The 
wall  on  our  right  was  hung  with  arms,  ranged  in  a 
proper  order,  fifteen  halberds  on  one  side,  twenty  lances 
in  the  middle,  and  nineteen  pikes  on  the  other;  the 
latter  were  adorned  at  the  upper  end  with  fringes. 
Hence  we  were  conducted  by  two  of  the  governor’s 
secretaries  through  four  rooms  (which,  however,  upon 
removing  the  screens,  might  have  been  enlarged  into 
one)  into  the  hall  of  audience.  I took  notice,  as  we 
came  by,  that  the  walls  were  hung  and  adorned  with 
bows,  with  sabres  and  scymitars,  as  also  with  some  fire- 
arms, kept  in  rich  black  varnished  cases. 

“ In  the  hall  of  audience,  where  there  were  seven  of 
the  governor’s  gentlemen  sitting,  the  two  secretaries  sat 
down  at  three  paces’  distance  from  us,  and  treated  us 
with  tea,  carrying  on  a very  civil  conversation  with  us 
till  the  governor  appeared,  as  he  soon  did,  with  two  of 
his  sons,  one  seventeen,  the  other  eighteen  years  of  age, 
and  sat  down  at  ten  paces’  distance  in  another  room, 


56 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


which  was  laid  open  towards  the  hall  of  audience  by 
removing  three  lattices,  through  which  he  spoke  to  us. 

“ He  seemed  to  he  about  forty  years  of  age,  middle- 
sized,  strong,  active,  of  a manly  countenance  and  broad- 
faced;  very  civil  in  his  conversation,  and  speaking  with 
a great  deal  of  softness  and  modesty.  He  was  hut 
meanly  clad  in  black,  and  wore  a gray  garment  of  cere- 
mony over  his  dress.  He  wore,  also,  hut  one  ordinary 
scymitar.  His  conversation  turned  chiefly  upon  the 
following  points : That  the  weather  was  now  very  cold ; 
that  we  had  made  a very  great  journey;  that  it  was  a 
singular  favor  to  be  admitted  into  the  emperor’s  pres- 
ence ; that,  of  all  nations  in  the  world,  only  the  Dutch 
were  allowed  this  honor. 

“He  promised  us  that,  since  the  chief  justice  of 
Miyako,  whose  business  it  is  to  give  us  the  necessary 
passports  for  our  journey  to  court,  was  not  yet  returned 
from  Yedo,  he  would  give  us  his  own  passports,  which 
would  be  full  as  valid,  and  that  we  might  send  for  them 
the  next  morning.  He  also  assured  us  that  he  was  very 
willing  to  assist  us  with  horses  and  whatever  else  we 
might  stand  in  need  of  for  continuing  our  journey. 

“ On  our  side,  we  returned  him  thanks  for  his  kind 
offers,  and  desired  that  he  would  he  pleased  to  accept  of 
a small  present,  consisting  of  some  pieces  of  silk  stuffs, 
as  an  acknowledgment  of  our  gratitude.  We  also  made 
some  presents  to  the  two  secretaries  or  stewards  of  his 
household ; and,  having  taken  our  leave,  were  by  them 
conducted  back  to  the  guard-house.  Here  we  took  our 
leave  also  of  them,  and  returned  through  the  above- 
mentioned  passage  back  to  our  kago.  Our  interpreters 
permitted  us  to  walk  a little  way,  which  gave  us  an 
opportunity  to  view  the  outside  of  the  above-described 


Ax  Ancient  "Warrior 


YODO  57 

famous  castle.  We  then  entered  our  kago  and  were 
carried  back  through  another  long  street  to  our  inn. 

“Wednesday,  February  28,  we  set  out  by  break  of 
day  on  our  journey  to  Miyako,  because  we  intended  to 
reach  that  place  the  same  day,  it  being  but  thirteen 
Japanese  miles,  or  a good  day’s  journey,  distant  from 
Osaka,  out  of  which  we  came  by  the  Kyobashi,  or  bridge 
to  Miyako,  which  crosses  the  river  just  below  the  castle. 
We  then  travelled  about  a mile  through  muddy  rice- 
fields  riding  along  a low  dike  raised  on  the  banks  of  the 
river  Yodogawa,  which  we  had  on  our  left.  Multitudes 
of  Tsadanil  (?)  trees,  which  grow  as  tall  in  this  country 
as  oaks  do  with  us,  were  planted  along  it.  It  had  then 
no  leaves,  because  of  the  winter  season,  but  its  branches 
hung  full  of  a yellow  fruit,  out  of  which  the  natives 
prepare  an  oil.  The  country  hereabouts  is  extraordi- 
narily well  inhabited,  and  the  many  villages  along  the  road 
are  so  near  each  other  that  there  wants  little  towards 
making  it  one  continued  street  from  Osaka  to  Miyako. 

“The  small  but  famous  city,  Yodo,  is  entirely  en- 
closed with  water,  and  hath  besides  several  canals  cut 
through  the  town,  all  derived  from  the  arms  of  the  river 
which  encompasses  it.  The  suburbs  consist  of  one  long 
street,  across  which  we  rode  to  a stately  wooden  bridge, 
called  Yodobashi,  four  hundred  paces  long,  and  sup- 
ported by  forty  arches,  to  which  answer  so  many  ballis- 
ters, adorned  at  the  upper  end  with  brass  buttons.  At 
the  end  of  this  bridge  is  a single  well-guarded  gate, 
through  which  we  entered  the  city.  The  city  itself  is 
very  pleasant  and  agreeably  situated,  and  hath  very 
good  houses,  though  but  few  streets,  which  cut  each 
other  at  right  angles,  running  some  south,  some  east. 
Abundance  of  artificers  and  handicraftsmen  live  at  Yodo. 


58 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


On  the  west  side  lies  the  castle,  built  of  brick,  in  the 
middle  of  the  river,  with  stately  towers  several  stories 
high  at  each  corner,  and  in  the  middle  of  its  walls. 
Coming  out  of  Yodo,  we  again  passed  over  a bridge  two 
hundred  paces  long,  supported  by  twenty  arches,  which 
brought  us  into  a suburb,  at  the  end  of  which  was  a 
strong  guard-house. 

“ After  about  two  hours’  riding  we  came,  at  two  in 
the  afternoon,  to  Fushimi.  This  is  a small,  open  town, 
or  rather  village,  of  a few  streets,  of  which  the  middle 
and  chief  reaches  as  far  as  Miyako,  and  is  contiguous  to 
the  streets  of  that  capital,  insomuch  that  Fushimi  might 
be  called  the  suburbs  of  Miyako,  the  rather  since  this 
last  city  is  not  at  all  enclosed  with  walls.  It  was  to-day 
Tsuitachi  with  the  Japanese,  that  is,  the  first  day  of 
the  month,  which  they  keep  as  a Sunday  or  holiday, 
visiting  the  temples,  walking  into  the  fields,  and  follow- 
ing all  manner  of  diversions.  Accordingly  we  found 
this  street,  along  which  we  rode  for  full  four  hours 
before  we  got  to  our  inn,  crowded  with  multitudes 
of  the  inhabitants  of  Miyako,  walking  out  of  the  city  to 
take  the  air,  and  to  visit  the  neighboring  temples.  Par- 
ticularly the  women  were  all  on  this  occasion  richly 
apparelled  in  variously  colored  gowns,  wearing  a purple- 
colored  silk  about  the  forehead,  and  large  straw  hats  to 
defend  themselves  from  the  heat  of  the  sun.  We  like- 
wise met  some  particular  sorts  of  beggars,  comically 
clad,  and  some  masked  in  a very  ridiculous  manner. 
Not  a few  walked  upon  iron  stilts;  others  carried  large 
pots  with  green  trees  upon  their  heads;  some  were 
singing,  some  whistling,  some  fluting,  others  beating  of 
bells.  All  along  the  street  we  saw  multitudes  of  open 
shops,  jugglers  and  players  diverting  the  crowd. 


ARRIVAL  AT  MIYAKO 


59 


“ The  temples  which  we  had  on  our  right  as  we  went 
up,  built  in  the  ascent  of  the  neighboring  green  hills, 
were  illuminated  with  many  lamps,  and  the  priests, 
beating  some  bells  with  iron  hammers,  made  such  a 
noise  as  could  be  heard  at  a considerable  distance.  I 
took  notice  of  a large,  white  dog,  perhaps  made  of 
plaster,  which  stood  upon  an  altar  on  our  left,  in  a 
neatly-adorned  chapel  or  small  temple,  which  was  con- 
secrated to  the  Patron  of  the  dogs.  We  reached  our 
inn  at  Miyako  at  six  in  the  evening,  and  were  forthwith 
carried  up  one  pair  of  stairs  into  our  apartments,  which 
in  some  measure,  I thought,  might  be  compared  to  the 
Westphalian  smoking  rooms,  wherein  they  smoke  their 
beef  and  bacon. 

“We  had  travelled  to-day  through  a very  fruitful 
country,  mostly  through  rice-fields,  wherein  we  saw 
great  flocks  of  wild  ducks,  if  they  deserve  to  be  so 
called,  being  so  very  tame  that  no  travelling  company 
approaching  will  fright  them  away.  We  took  notice 
also  of  several  large,  white  herons,  some  swans,  and 
some  few  storks,  looking  for  their  food  in  the  morassy 
fields.  We  likewise  saw  the  peasants  ploughing  with 
black  oxen,  which  seemed  to  be  lean,  poor  beasts,  but 
are  said  to  work  well. 

“February  29,  early  in  the  morning,  we  sent  the 
presents  for  the  chief  justice  and  the  governors  to  their 
palaces,  laid,  according  to  the  country  fashion,  upon 
particular  small  tables  made  of  fir,  and  kept  for  no 
other  use  but  this.  We  followed  soon  after,  about 
ten  in  the  forenoon,  in  kago.  Their  palaces  were  at 
the  west  end  of  the  city,  opposite  the  castle  of  the  Dairi. 
We  were  conducted  through  a court-yard,  twenty  paces 
broad,  into  the  hall  or  fore-room  of  the  house,  which  is 


60 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


called  Ban , or  the  chief  guard,  and  is  the  rendezvous 
of  numbers  of  clerks,  inspectors,  etc.  Hence  we  were 
taken,  through  two  other  rooms,  into  a third,  where 
they  desired  us  to  sit  down.  Soon  after  came  in  his 
lordship’s  steward,  an  old  gentleman  who  seemed  up- 
wards of  sixty  years  of  age,  clad  in  a gray  or  ash-colored 
honor-gown,  who  seated  himself  at  about  four  paces 
from  us,  in  order  to  receive,  in  his  master’s  name,  both 
our  compliments  and  presents,  which  stood  in  the  same 
room,  laid  out  in  a becoming  order.  They  consisted 
of  a flask  of  Tent  wine,  besides  twenty  pieces  of  silk, 
woollen,  and  linen  stuffs.  The  steward  having  very 
civilly  returned  us  thanks  for  our  presents,  boxes  with 
tobacco  and  pipes  and  proper  utensils  for  smoking  were 
set  before  us,  and  a dish  of  tea  was  presented  to  each 
of  us  by  a servant,  at  three  different  times,  the  steward 
and  the  chief  gentlemen  pressing  us  to  drink.  Having 
stayed  about  a quarter  of  an  hour,  we  took  our  leave,  and 
were  conducted  by  the  steward  himself  to  the  door  of 
their  room,  and  thence  by  other  officers  back  to  the  gate. 

“ This  first  visit  being  over,  we  walked  thence  on  foot 
to  the  palace  of  the  commanding  governor,  who  was  hut 
lately  arrived  from  Yedo.  Some  sentinels  stood  upon 
duty  at  the  gate,  and  in  the  ban , or  hall,  we  found  very 
near  fifty  people  besides  some  young  boys,  neatly  clad, 
all  sitting  in  very  good  order.  Through  this  hall  we 
were  conducted  into  a side  apartment,  where  we  were 
civilly  received  by  the  two  secretaries,  both  elderly  men, 
and  were  treated  with  tea,  sugar,  etc. ; receiving,  also, 
repeated  assurances  that  we  should  he  soon  admitted 
into  the  governor’s  presence. 

“ Having  stayed  full  half  an  hour  in  this  room,  we  were 
conducted  into  another,  where,  after  a little  while,  the 


RECEPTIONS  AT  MIYAKO 


61 


lattices  of  two  screens  being  suddenly  opened  just  over 
against  us,  the  governor  appeared,  sitting  at  fourteen 
paces  distant.  He  wore,  as  usual,  a garment  of  cere- 
mony over  liis  black  dress.  He  seemed  to  he  about 
thirty -six  years  of  age,  of  a strong,  lusty  constitution, 
and  showed  in  his  countenance  and  whole  behavior  a good 
deal  of  pride  and  vanity.  After  a short  conversation 
we  desired  that  he  would  be  pleased  to  accept  of  our 
small  present,  consisting  of  twelve  pieces  of  stuffs, 
which  lay  upon  a table,  or  salver,  in  the  manner  above 
described.  He  thereupon  bowed  a little,  to  return  us 
thanks,  and  putting  himself  in  a rising  posture,  the 
two  lattices  were  let  down  forthwith,  in  a very  comical 
manner.  But  we  were  desired  to  stay  a little  while 
longer,  that  the  ladies  — who  were  in  a neighboring 
room,  behind  a paper  screen  pierced  with  holes  — might 
have  an  opportunity  of  contemplating  us  and  our  foreign 
dress.  Our  president  was  desired  to  show  them  his  hat, 
sword,  watch,  and  several  other  things  he  had  about 
him,  as  also  to  take  off  his  cloak,  that  they  might  have 
a full  view  of  his  dress,  both  before  and  behind.  Hav- 
ing stayed  about  an  hour  in  the  house  of  this  governor, 
we  were  conducted  by  the  two  secretaries  back  to  the 
hall,  or  chief  guard,  and  thence  by  two  inferior  officers 
into  the  yard. 

“ It  being  fair  weather,  we  resolved  to  walk  on  foot 
to  the  house  of  the  other  governor,  some  hundred  paces 
distant.  We  were  received  there  much  after  the  manner 
above  described.  After  we  had  been  treated  in  the  ban 
with  tea  and  tobacco,  as  usual,  we  were  conducted, 
through  several  rooms,  into  the  hall  of  audience,  which 
was  richly  furnished,  and,  amongst  other  things,  adorned 
with  a cabinet  filled  with  bows  and  arrows,  small 


62 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


firearms,  guns  and  pistols,  kept  in  black  varnished  cases. 
These,  and  other  arms,  we  took  notice,  were  hung  up 
in  several  other  rooms  through  which  we  passed,  much 
after  the  same  manner  as  in  the  governor’s  house  at 
Osaka.  On  one  side  the  hall  we  took  notice  of  two 
screens,  pierced  with  holes,  behind  which  sat  some 
women,  whom  the  curiosity  of  seeing  people  from  so 
remote  a part  of  the  world  had  drawn  thither.  We  had 
scarce  sat  down,  when  the  governor  appeared,  and  sat 
himself  down  at  ten  paces  from  us.  He  was  clad  in 
black,  as  usual,  with  a garment  of  ceremony.  He  was 
a gray  man,  almost  sixty  years  of  age,  but  of  a good 
complexion,  and  very  handsome.  He  bade  us  welcome, 
showed  in  his  whole  behavior  a great  deal  of  civility, 
and  received  our  presents  kindly,  and  with  seeming 
great  satisfaction.  Our  chief  interpreter  took  this  op- 
portunity to  make  the  governor,  as  his  old  acquaintance, 
some  private  presents  in  his  own  name,  consisting  of 
some  European  glasses,  and,  in  the  mean  time,  to  beg  a 
favor  for  his  deputy’s  interpreter’s  son.  Having  taken 
our  leave,  we  returned  to  our  kago,  and  were  carried 
home  to  our  inn,  where  we  arrived  at  one  in  the  afternoon. 

“ Ivio,  or  Miyako,  signifies  in  Japanese,  a city. 
(Klaproth  says,  great  temple  or  palace.)  It  lies  in  the 
province  Yaruato1  in  a large  plain,  and  is,  from  north 
to  south,  three  English  miles  long,  and  two  broad  from 
east  to  west,  surrounded  with  pleasant  green  hills  and 
mountains,  from  which  arise  numbers  of  small  rivers 
and  agreeable  streams.  The  city  comes  nearest  the 
mountains  on  the  east  side,  where  there  are  numerous 
temples,  monasteries,  chapels,  and  other  religious  build- 
ings, standing  in  the  ascent.  Three  shallow  rivers 
1 A mistake  for  Yamaskiro.  — Edr. 


DESCRIPTION  OF  MIYAKO 


G3 


enter,  or  run  by  it,  on  that  side.  The  chief  and  largest 
comes  out  of  the  Lake  Otsu ; 1 the  other  two  from  the 
neighboring  mountains.  They  come  together  about  the 
middle  of  the  city,  where  the  united  stream  is  crossed 
by  a large  bridge,  two  hundred  paces  long.  The  Dairi, 
with  his  family  and  court,  resides  on  the  north  side 
of  the  city,  in  a particular  part  or  ward,  consisting  of 
twelve  or  thirteen  streets,  separated  from  the  rest  by 
walls  and  ditches.  In  the  western  part  of  the  town  is 
a strong  castle  of  freestone,  built  by  one  of  the  hered- 
itary emperors,  for  the  security  of  his  person  during  the 
civil  wars.  At  present  it  serves  to  lodge  the  Kubo,  or 
actual  monarch,  when  he  comes  to  visit  the  Dairi.  It 
is  upwards  of  a thousand  feet  long  where  longest;  a 
deep  ditch,  filled  with  water,  and  walled  in,  surrounds 
it,  and  is  enclosed  itself  by  a broad  empty  space,  or  dry 
ditch.  In  the  middle  of  this  castle  there  is,  as  usual, 
a square  tower,  several  stories  high.  In  the  ditch  are 
kept  a particular  sort  of  delicious  carps,  some  of  which 
were  presented  this  evening  to  our  interpreter.  A 
small  garrison  guards  the  castle,  under  the  command 
of  a captain. 

“ The  streets  of  Miyako  are  narrow,  but  all  regular, 
running  some  south,  some  east.  Being  at  one  end  of  a 
great  street,  it  is  impossible  to  reach  the  other  with  the 
eye,  because  of  their  extraordinary  length,  the  dust,  and 
the  multitude  of  people.  The  houses  are,  generally 
speaking,  narrow,  only  two  stories  high,  built  of  wood, 
lime,  and  clay,  according  to  the  country  fashion. 

“Miyako  is  the  great  magazine  of  all  Japanese  manu- 
factures and  commodities,  and  the  chief  mercantile  town 
in  the  empire.  There  is  scarce  a house  in  this  large 

1 Name  of  a town  on  Lake  Biwa.  — Edr. 


64 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


capital  where  there  is  not  something  made  or  sold. 
Here  they  refine  copper,  coin  money,  print  books, 
weave  the  richest  stuffs,  with  gold  and  silver  flowers. 
The  best  and  scarcest  dyes,  the  most  artful  carvings, 
all  sorts  of  musical  instruments,  pictures,  japanned 
cabinets,  all  sorts  of  things  wrought  in  gold  and  other 
metals,  particularly  in  steel,  as  the  best  tempered 
blades,  and  other  arms,  are  made  here  in  the  utmost 
perfection,  as  are,  also,  the  richest  dresses,  and  after 
the  best  fashion,  all  sorts  of  toys,  puppets,  moving 
their  heads  of  themselves,  and,  in  short,  there  is  noth- 
ing can  he  thought  of  but  what  may  be  found  at  Miyako, 
and  nothing,  though  never  so  neatly  wrought,  can  he 
imported  from  abroad,  but  what  some  artist  or  other  in 
this  capital  will  undertake  to  imitate  it.  Considering 
this,  it  is  no  wonder  that  the  manufactures  of  Miyako 
are  become  so  famous  throughout  the  empire  as  to  he 
easily  preferred  to  all  others  (though,  perhaps,  inferior 
in  some  particulars),  only  because  they  have  the  name 
of  being  made  there.  There  are  hut  few  houses  in  all 
the  chief  streets  where  there  is  not  something  to  he 
sold,  and,  for  my  part,  I could  not  help  admiring 
whence  they  can  have  customers  enough  for  such  an 
immense  quantity  of  goods.  ’Tis  true,  indeed,  there 
is  scarce  anybody  passes  through  but  what  buys  some- 
thing or  other  of  the  manufactures  of  this  city,  either 
for  his  own  use,  or  for  presents  to  be  made  to  his  friends 
and  relations. 

“ The  lord  chief  justice  resides  at  Miyako,  a man  of 
great  power  and  authority,  as  having  the  supreme  com- 
mand, under  the  emperor,  of  all  the  bugio,  governors, 
stewards,  and  other  officers,  who  are  any  ways  concerned 
in  the  government  of  the  imperial  cities,  crown  lands 


An  Archer 


CENSUS  OF  MIYAKO  65 

and  tenements,  in  all  the  western  provinces  of  the 
empire.  Even  the  western  princes  themselves  must, 
in  some  measure,  depend  on  him,  and  have  a great 
regard  to  his  person  as  a mediator  and  compounder  of 
quarrels  and  difficulties  that  may  arise  between  them. 
Nobody  is  suffered  to  pass  through  Arai  and  llakone, 
two  of  the  most  important  passes,  and,  in  a manner,  the 
keys  of  the  imperial  capital  and  court,  without  a pass- 
port, signed  by  his  hand. 

“The  political  government  and  regulation  of  the 
streets  is  the  same  at  Miyako  as  it  is  at  Osaka  and 
Nagasaki.  The  number  of  inhabitants  of  Miyako,  in 
the  year  of  our  visit,  will  appear  by  the  following  Ara- 
tome 1 (exclusive,  however,  of  those  who  live  in  the 
castle  and  at  the  Dairi’s  court).” 


Negi  (persons  attending  the  Shinto  temples)  . 9,003 

Yamabushi  (mountain  priests) 6,073 

Shukke  (ecclesiastics  of  the  Buddhist  religion)  37,093 
Buddhist  laymen,  of  four  principal  and  eight 

inferior  sects  or  observances  2 477,557 

Tera  (Buddhist  temples) 3,893 


1 The  Aratame  is  a sort  of  an  inquisition  into  the  life  and  family  of 
every  inhabitant,  the  number  of  hi9  children  and  domestics,  the  sect 
he  professes  or  the  temples  he  belongs  to,  made  very  punctually,  once 
every  year,  in  every  city  and  district,  by  commissioners  appointed  for 
this  purpose. 

2 The  worshippers  of  Amida  were  the  most  numerous,  amounting  to 
159,113.  The  other  principal  sects  had,  respectively,  99,728,  99,016, 
54,586.  Caron  had  noticed  and  mentioned  this  division  into  twelve 
6ects,  or  observances.  He  states,  and  other  subsequent  authors  have 
repeated,  that,  notwithstanding  this  division,  they  have  no  controver- 
sies or  religious  quarrels;  but  this  does  not  agree  with  the  accounts  of 
the  Catholic  missionaries.  Every  resident  of  Miyako,  except  the 
Shinto  priests,  and,  perhaps,  the  household  of  the  Dairi,  would  seem  to 
belong  to  some  Buddhist  sect. 

VOL.  II.  — 5 


66 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


Miya  (Shinto  temples) 2,127 

Shokoku  Daimyo  Yasliiki  (palaces  and  houses 

of  the  princes  and  lords  of  the  empire)  . . 137 

Maclii  (streets) 1,858 

Ken  (houses) 138,979 

Hashi  (bridges) 87 


CHAPTER  XXXVI 


Lake  Otsu — Mount  II  iei\zan]  — Japanese  Legends  — A Japanese  Patent 
Medicine  — Kwannon — Miya  — Arai  — Policy  of  the  Emperors  — 
Kakeyawa  — A Town  on  Fire — Suruga  — Kuno  — Passage  of  a 
Rapid  River  — Fuji-no-jama,or  Mount  Fuji — Crossing  the  Peninsula 
of  Izu — Second  Searching  Place  — Purgatory  Lake  — Odawara  — 
Coast  of  the  Bay  of  Yedo  — A Live  Saint  — Kanagawa  — Shinagawa 
— Yedo  — Imperial  Castles  and  Palace. 

KAMPFER  and  his  company  left  Miyako  Friday, 
March  2,  and,  after  a journey  of  eight  or  nine 
miles,  during  which  they  saw  a high  mountain 
towards  the  south,  covered  with  snow,  they  reached 
Otsu,  a town  of  a thousand  houses,  where  they  lodged. 
This  town  lies  at  the  southwestern  extremity  of  the 
large  fresh-water  lake  of  the  same  name,  already  men- 
tioned.1 

On  the  southeastern  shore  of  this  lake,  which  abounds 
with  fish  and  fowl,  lies  the  famous  mountain  Hieizan  (by 
interpretation  Fair-hill),  covered  with  Buddhist  monas- 
teries, and  near  it  were  seen  other  mountains,  covered 
with  snow,  and  extending  along  the  lake  shore.  Shortly 
after  leaving  Otsu,  the  Yodogawa,  one  of  the  outlets  of 
the  lake,  was  crossed  upon  a bridge,  supported  at  the 
extremities  by  stone  columns,  of  which  the  following 
legend  is  told.  These  columns  were  in  old  times  pos- 
sessed by  an  evil  spirit,  which  very  much  molested 

1 According  to  Klaproth,  following  Japanese  authorities,  it  is 
seventy-two  and  one-half  English  miles  long,  and  twenty-two  and  one- 
quarter  at  its  greatest  breadth.  [The  lake  Biwa  is  meant.] 


68 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


travellers,  as  well  as  the  inhabitants  of  the  village.  It 
happened  one  day  that  the  famous  saint  and  apostle, 
Koshi,1  travelling  that  way,  all  the  people  of  the  neigh- 
borhood earnestly  entreated  him  to  deliver  them  by  his 
miraculous  power  from  this  insufferable  evil,  and  to  cast 
this  devil  out  of  the  columns.  The  Japanese,  a people 
superstitious  to  excess,  expected  that  he  would  use  a 
good  many  prayers  and  ceremonies,  but  found,  to  their 
utmost  surprise,  that  he  only  took  off  the  dirty  cloth 
which  he  wore  about  his  waist,  and  tied  it  about  the 
column.  Perceiving  how  much  they  were  amazed, 
Koshi  addressed  them  in  these  words:  “ Friends, ” said 
he,  “it  is  in  vain  you  expect  that  I should  make  use 
of  many  ceremonies.  Ceremonies  will  never  cast  out 
devils;  faith  must  do  it,  and  it  is  only  by  faith  that  I 
perform  miracles.”  “A  remarkable  saying,”  exclaims 
Kampfer,  “in  the  mouth  of  a heathen  teacher  ! ” 

Umenoki,  a village  through  which  they  next  passed, 
was  famous  for  the  sole  manufacture  of  a medicine  of 
great  repute,  found  out  by  a poor  but  pious  man,  to 
whom  the  god  Yakushi,  the  protector  of  physic  and 
physicians,  revealed  in  a dream  the  ingredients,  which 
are  certain  bitter  herbs  growing  upon  the  neighboring 
mountains.  This  story  helped  the  sale  of  the  medicine, 
by  which  the  inventor  soon  grew  very  rich,  so  that  he 
was  not  only  able  to  build  a fine  house  for  himself, 
but  also  a small  temple,  opposite  his  shop,  and  highly 
adorned,  in  honor  of  the  god  who  had  given  him  the 
receipt,  whose  statue,  richly  gilt,  was  to  he  seen  there, 
standing  on  a Tarate  [ ?]  flower,  and  with  half  a largo 
cockle-shell  over  his  head. 

1 Koshi  is  the  Japanese  name  for  Confucius,  who,  however,  can 
Scarcely  be  meant  here.  — Eijr. 


TSUCHI  YAMA 


69 


The  next  day  (Sunday,  March  4)  the  Dutch  travellers 
crossed  the  Tsuchi  Yama,  a mountain  ridge,  so  steep 
that  its  descent  was  like  that  of  a winding  staircase  cut 
out  in  the  face  of  the  precipice.  On  this  mountain  were 
many  temples,  and  in  this  neighborhood  vast  crowds  of 
pilgrims  were  encountered,  bound  to  Ise,  situate  some 
forty  miles  to  the  south.  The  travellers  struck  the 
seacoast  at  Yokkaiclii,  a town  of  a thousand  houses, 
whose  inhabitants  were  partly  supported  by  fishing, 
and  the  next  day  (Monday,  the  5th),  after  about 
nine  miles’  travel,  they  entered  the  city  of  Kuwana, 
in  the  province  of  Owari,  situated  at  the  head  of  a 
deep  bay.  It  consisted  of  three  parts,  like  so  many 
different  towns.  The  first  and  third  parts  were  en- 
closed by  high  walls  and  ditches.  The  other  part  was 
entirely  surrounded  by  water,  the  country  being  flat 
and  full  of  rivers.  The  castle,  washed  on  three  sides 
by  the  sea,  was  separated  from  the  town  by  a deep  ditch 
with  drawbridges. 

From  Kuwana  they  proceeded  by  water  to  Miya, 
present  Atsuta,  some  fifteen  miles  distant.  The  head 
of  the  bay  was  very  shallow,  and  the  boats  were  pushed 
through  mud-banks.  Miya,  though  not  so  large  as 
Kuwana,  consisted  of  two  thousand  houses,  with  two 
spacious  castles,  one  of  them  for  size  and  strength 
reckoned  the  third  in  Japan.  There  were  two  temples, 
in  one  of  which  are  preserved  three,  in  the  other  eight, 
miraculous  swords,  used  by  the  race  of  demigods  who 
were  the  first  inhabitants  of  Japan. 

Tuesday,  March  6,  the  travellers  dined  at  Okasaki, 
a town  of  lifteen  hundred  houses,  with  a strong  castle 
situate  on  the  shores  of  the  same  bay.  The  country 
travelled  through  was  a fertile  plain  along  the  foot  of 


70 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


a range  of  mountains,  tlie  shores  of  which,  beyond 
Okasaki,  extended  to  the  sea. 

The  next  day  (Wednesday,  March  7)  they  passed 
through  several  considerable  places,  of  whicli  Yoshida, 
present  Toyohaslii,  with  a castle  and  about  a thousand 
small  houses,  was  the  most  considerable.  Arai,  twelve 
or  fifteen  miles  distant,  was  a town  of  about  four  hun- 
dred houses,  situate  not  far  from  the  sea,  at  the  inland 
extremity  of  a harbor  called  Sao,  narrow  at  its  entrance, 
but  spreading  out  within.  Arai  was  the  seat  of  certain 
imperial  commissioners  appointed  to  search  the  goods 
and  baggage  of  all  travellers,  but  particularly  of  the 
princes  of  the  empire,  that  no  women  nor  arms  might 
pass.  “This,”  says  Kampfer,  “is  one  of  the  political 
maxims  which  the  now  reigning  emperors  have  found 
it  necessary  to  practise  in  order  to  secure  to  themselves 
the  peaceable  possession  of  the  throne;  for  the  wives 
and  female  children  of  all  the  princes  of  the  empire  are 
kept  at  Yedo,  as  hostages  of  the  fidelity  of  their  husbands 
and  parents.  And  as  to  the  exportation  of  arms,  an 
effectual  stop  has  been  put  to  that,  lest,  if  exported  in 
any  considerable  quantities,  some  of  those  princes  might 
take  it  into  their  heads  to  raise  rebellions  against  the 
government  as  now  established.” 

The  harbor  of  Sao  was  crossed  in  boats,  on  the  other 
side  of  which  the  road  led  through  a flat  country,  rather 
thinly  inhabited.  They  slept  that  night  at  Hamamatsu, 
a town  of  several  hundred  inferior  houses,  with  a large 
castle.  The  next  day  (Thursday,  March  8),  travelling 
on  through  a beautiful  plain,  in  the  afternoon  they 
reached  the  town  of  Kakegawa;  as  they  were  passing 
through  which,  a fire  broke  out,  occasioned  by  the  boil- 
ing over  of  an  oil  kettle.  Perceiving  only  a thick  cloud 


SURUGA 


71 


behind  them,  they  thought  a storm  was  coming  on,  but 
were  soon  involved  in  such  a cloud  of  smoke  and  heat 
as  to  be  obliged  to  ride  on  at  a gallop.  Having  reached 
a little  eminence,  on  looking  back,  the  whole  town 
seemed  on  fire.  Nothing  appeared  through  the  smoke 
and  flames  but  the  upper  part  of  the  castle  tower.  They 
found,  however,  on  their  return,  some  weeks  after,  that 
the  damage  was  less  than  they  had  expected,  more  than 
half  the  town  having  escaped. 

It  was  necessary,  shortly  after,  for  the  travellers  to 
take  kago  to  cross  a steep  mountain,  descending  from 
which  they  were  obliged  to  ford  the  river  Oigawa,  pro- 
verbial throughout  Japan  for  its  force  and  rapidity  and 
the  rolling  stones  in  its  bed,  but  just  then  at  a very  low 
stage.  The  road  thence  to  Shimada,  a small  town  where 
they  lodged,  was  close  to  the  sea,  but  through  a barren 
country,  the  mountains  approaching  close  to  the  shore. 

The  next  day  (Friday,  March  9)  brought  them,  most 
of  the  way  through  a flat,  well-cultivated  country,  to 
the  city  of  Suruga,  capital  of  the  province  of  that  name. 
The  streets,  broad  and  regular,  crossed  each  other  at 
right  angles,  and  were  full  of  well-furnished  shops. 
Paper  stuffs,  curiously  flowered,  for  hats,  baskets, 
boxes,  etc.,  also  various  manufactures  of  split  and 
twisted  reeds,  and  all  sorts  of  lackered  ware,  were 
made  here.  There  was  also  a mint  here,  as  well  as  at 
Miyako  and  Yedo,  where  koban  and  ichibu  were  coined. 
It  had  a castle  of  freestone,  well  defended  with  ditches 
and  high  walls. 

A few  miles  from  Suruga  were  kept  certain  war- 
junks  for  the  defence  of  the  bay  of  Totomi;  and  just 
beyond,  upon  a high  mountain,  stood  the  fortress  of 
Kuno,  esteemed  by  the  Japanese  impregnable.  It  was 


72 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


built  to  contain  the  imperial  treasures,  but  they  had 
since  been  removed  to  Yedo. 

In  the  course  of  the  next  day  (Saturday,  March  10) 
the  road  turned  inland,  in  order  to  cross  the  great  river 
Fujigawa,  which  enters  into  the  head  of  the  bay,  taking 
its  rise  in  the  high,  snowy  mountain  Fuji-no-Yama.1  It 
was  crossed  in  flat  broad-bottomed  boats,  constructed  of 
thin  planks,  so  as  on  striking  the  rocks  to  yield  and  slip 
over.  The  mountain  Fuji,  whence  this  river  takes  its 
rise  and  name,  towers  in  a conical  form  above  all  the 
surrounding  hills,  and  is  seen  at  a great  distance.  It  is 
ascended  for  the  worship  of  the  Japanese  god  of  the 
winds,  to  whom  the  Yamabushi,  or  mountain  priests, 
are  consecrated,  and  who  frequently  repeat  the  words 
Fuji  Yama,  in  discoursing  or  begging.  It  takes  three 
days  to  ascend  this  mountain ; but  the  descent  can  be 
made,  so  Kampfer  was  told,  in  three  hours,  by  the  help 
of  sledges  of  reeds  or  straw,  tied  about  the  waist,  by 
means  of  which  one  may  glide  down  over  the  snow  in 
winter  and  the  sand  in  summer,  it  being  surprisingly 
smooth  and  even.  Japanese  poets  cannot  find  words, 
Kampfer  tells  us,  nor  Japanese  painters  colors,  in  which 
to  represent  this  mountain  as  they  think  it  deserves. 

Our  travellers  kept  on  this  day  and  the  next  (Sunday, 
March  11)  through  the  mountainous  country  of  Hakone, 
which  runs  out  southward  from  the  broad  peninsula  of 

1 Fuji-no-yama,  in  the  province  of  Suruga,  on  the  borders  of  Kai,  is 
an  enormous  pyramid,  generally  covered  with  snow,  detached  from 
and  southerly  of  the  great  central  chain  of  Nippon.  It  is  the  largest 
and  most  noted  of  the  volcanoes  of  Japan.  In  the  year  1707  there  was 
an  eruption  from  it  which  covered  all  the  neighborhood  with  masses  of 
rock,  red-hot  sand,  and  ashes,  which  latter  fell,  even  in  Yedo,  some 
inches  deep.  — Klaproth  (from  Japanese  authorities),  in  “Asiatic 
Journal,”  vol.  xxxii. 


J nii  Marketing  and  Preparation  ok  Food:  A Kitchen,  showing 
Utensils;  A Fishmonger 


LAKESIDE  CHAPELS 


73 


Izu.  At  a village,  hemmed  in  between  a lake  and  a 
mountain,  the  lake  itself  surrounded  in  every  other 
direction  by  mountains  not  to  be  climbed,  was  a narrow 
pass  — another  imperial  searching-place,  where  all  per- 
sons travelling  to,  and  especially  from,  Yedo  must  sub- 
mit to  a rigorous  examination.  Upon  the  shore  of  this 
lake  were  five  small  wooden  chapels,  and  in  each  a 
priest  seated,  beating  a gong  and  howling  a namida 
[abbreviation  of  Namamidabutsu].  “All  the  Japanese 
foot- travellers  of  our  retinue,”  says  Kampfer,  “threw 
them  some  kasses  into  the  chapel,  and  in  return  received 
each  a paper,  which  they  carried,  bareheaded,  with  great 
respect,  to  the  shore,  in  order  to  throw  it  into  the  lake, 
having  first  tied  a stone  to  it,  that  it  might  be  sure  to 
go  to  the  bottom,  which  they  believe  is  the  purgatory 
for  children  who  die  before  seven  years  of  age.  They 
are  told  so  by  their  priests,  who,  for  their  comfort, 
assure  them  that  as  soon  as  the  water  washes  off  the 
names  and  characters  of  the  gods  and  saints,  written 
upon  the  papers  above  mentioned,  the  children  at  the 
bottom  feel  great  relief,  if  they  do  not  obtain  a full  and 
effectual  redemption.”  This  lake  has  but  one  outlet, 
falling  over  the  mountains  in  a cataract,  and  running 
down  through  a craggy  and  precipitous  valley,  along 
which  the  road  is  carried  on  a very  steep  descent  to 
the  mouth  of  the  river  in  the  bay  of  Yedo.  Here,  on  a 
plain  four  miles  in  width,  was  found  the  town  of  Oda- 
wara,  containing  about  a thousand  small  houses,  very 
neatly  built,  and  evidently  inhabited  by  a better  class 
of  people ; but  the  empty  shops  evinced  no  great  activ- 
ity of  trade  or  manufactures.  The  castle  and  residence 
of  the  prince,  as  well  as  the  temples,  were  on  the  north 
side,  in  the  ascent  of  the  mountains. 


74 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


The  next  day  (Monday,  March  12),  the  road  follow- 
ing the  northwest  shore  of  the  outer  hay  of  Yedo  crossed 
several  very  rapid  streams,  till  at  length  the  mountains 
on  their  left  disappeared,  and  a broad  plain  spread  out 
extending  to  Yedo.  Off  the  shore  was  seen  the  island 
of  Kamakura,1  with  high  and  rugged  shores,  but  of 
which  the  surface  was  flat  and  wooded.  It  was  not  above 
four  miles  in  circumference,  and  was  used,  like  several 
other  islands,  as  a place  of  confinement  for  disgraced 
noblemen.  There  being  no  landing-place,  the  boats 
that  bring  prisoners  or  provisions  must  be  hauled  up 
and  let  down  by  a crane.  After  a time  the  road  left 
the  shore,  crossing  a promontory  which  separates  the 
outer  from  the  inner  bay  of  Yedo;  but  by  sunset  the 
shore  of  the  inner  bay  was  struck. 

The  country  now  became  exceedingly  fruitful  and 
populous,  and  almost  a continued  row  of  towns  and 
villages.  In  one  of  these  villages  there  lived  in  a mon- 
astery an  old  gray  monk,  fourscore  years  of  age,  and 
a native  of  Nagasaki.  “He  had  spent,”  says  Ivauipfer, 
“ the  greatest  part  of  his  life  in  holy  pilgrimages,  run- 
ning up  and  down  the  country,  and  visiting  almost  all 
the  temples  of  the  Japanese  empire.  The  superstitious 
vulgar  had  got  such  a high  notion  of  his  holiness,  that 
even  in  his  lifetime  they  canonized  and  reverenced  him 
as  a great  saint,  to  the  extent  of  worshipping  his  statue, 
which  he  caused  to  be  carved  of  stone,  exceeding  in  this 
even  Alexander  the  Great,  who  had  no  divine  honors 
paid  him  during  his  life.  Those  of  his  countrymen  who 
were  of  our  retinue  did  not  fail  to  run  thither  to  see  and 
pay  their  respects  to  that  holy  man.” 

The  Dutch  companj'  lodged  at  Kanagawa,  a town  of 

1 A mistake  for  Enoshima.  — Edr. 


SHINAGAWA 


75 


six  hundred  houses,  twenty-four  miles  from  the  capital. 
The  coast  of  the  bay  appeared  at  low  water  to  he  of  a 
soft  clay,  furnishing  abundance  of  sliell-fish  and  of  cer- 
tain sea-weeds,  which  were  gathered  and  prepared  for 
food.  The  road  the  next  day  (Tuesday,  March  13), 
still  hugging  the  shore,  led  on  through  a fruitful  and 
populous  district,  in  which  were  several  fishing  villages, 
the  bay  abounding  with  fish.  As  they  approached 
Shinagawa,  they  passed  a place  of  public  execution, 
offering  a show  of  human  heads  and  bodies,  some  half 
putrefied  and  others  half  devoured  — ■ dogs,  ravens,  crows, 
and  other  ravenous  beasts  and  birds,  uniting  to  satisfy 
their  appetites  on  these  miserable  remains.1 

Shinagawa,  immediately  adjoining  Yedo,  of  which 
it  forms  a sort  of  outer  suburb,  consisted  of  one  long, 
irregular  street,  with  the  bay  on  the  right  and  a hill 
on  the  left,  on  which  stood  some  temples.  Some  few 
narrow  streets  and  lanes  turned  off  from  the  great  one 
towards  these  temples,  some  of  which  were  very  spa- 
cious buildings,  and  all  pleasantly  seated,  adorned 
within  with  gilt  idols,  and  without  with  large  carved 
images,  curious  gates,  and  staircases  of  stone  leading 
up  to  them.  One  of  them  was  remarkable  for  a mag- 
nificent tower,  four  stories  high.  “Though  the  Jap- 
anese,” says  Kampfer,  “spare  no  trouble  nor  expense 
to  adorn  and  beautify  their  temples,  yet  the  best  fall  far 
short  of  that  loftiness,  symmetry,  and  stateliness,  which 
is  observable  in  some  of  our  European  churches.” 

Having  ridden  upwards  of  two  miles  through  Shina- 
gawa, they  stopped  at  a small  inn,  pleasantly  seated  on 
the  seaside,  from  which  they  had  a full  view  of  the  city 

1 At  the  date  of  these  travels,  and  indeed  at  a much  later  period 
similar  exhibitions  might  have  been  seen  in  Europe. 


76 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


and  harbor  of  Yedo,  crowded  with  many  hundred  ships 
and  boats  of  all  sizes  and  shapes.  The  smallest  lay 
nearest  the  town,  and  the  largest  one  or  two  leagues 
off,  not  being  able  to  go  higher  by  reason  of  the  shal- 
lowing of  the  water.  “Our  Bugio,”  says  Kampfer, 
“ quitted  his  norimono  here  and  went  on  horseback, 
people  of  his  extraction  not  being  suffered  to  enter  the 
capital  in  a norimono.  We  travelled  near  a mile  to 
the  end  of  the  suburb  of  Shinagawa,  and  then  entered 
the  suburbs  of  Yedo,  which  are  only  a continuation 
of  the  former,  there  being  nothing  to  separate  them  but 
a small  guard-house.  The  bay  comes  here  so  close  to 
the  foot  of  the  hill  that  there  is  but  one  row  of  small 
houses  between  it  and  the  road,  which,  for  some  time, 
runs  along  the  shore,  but  soon  widens  into  several  ir- 
regular streets  of  a considerable  length,  which,  after 
about  half  an  hour’s  riding,  became  broader,  more  uni- 
form, handsome,  and  regular,  whence,  and  from  the 
great  throngs  of  people,  we  concluded  that  we  were 
now  got  into  the  city.  We  kept  to  the  great  middle 
street,  which  runs  northward  across  the  whole  city, 
though  somewhat  irregularly,  passing  over  several 
stately  bridges  laid  across  small  rivers  and  muddy 
canals,  which  run  on  our  left  towards  the  castle,  and 
on  our  right  towards  the  sea,  as  did  also  several  streets 
turning  off  from  the  great  one. 

“The  throng  of  people  along  this  chief  and  middle 
street,  which  is  about  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  feet 
broad,  is  incredible.  We  met  as  we  rode  along  many 
numerous  trains  of  princes  of  the  empire  and  great 
men  at  court,  and  ladies  richly  apparelled,  carried  in 
norimono;  and,  among  other  people,  a company  of 
firemen  on  foot,  about  one  hundred  in  number,  walking 


ENTRANCE  INTO  YEDO 


77 


in  much  the  same  military  order  as  ours  do  in  Europe. 
They  were  clad  in  brown  leather  coats  to  defend  them 
against  the  fire;  and  some  carried  long  pikes,  others 
fire-hooks,  upon  their  shoulder's.  Their  captain  rode 
in  the  middle.  On  both  sides  of  the  street  were  multi- 
tudes of  well-furnished  shops  of  merchants  and  trades- 
men, drapers,  silk-merchants,  druggists,  idol-sellers, 
booksellers,  glass-blowers,  apothecaries,  and  others.  A 
black  cloth  hanging  down  covers  one  half  of  the  shop, 
of  which  the  front  projects  a little  way  into  the  street, 
so  as  to  expose  to  view  curious  patterns  of  the  goods 
offered  for  sale.  AVe  took  notice  that  scarce  anybody 
here  had  curiosity  enough  to  come  out  of  his  house  to 
see  us  go  by,  as  they  had  done  in  other  places,  probably 
because  such  a small  retinue  as  ours  had  nothing  re- 
markable or  uncommon  to  amuse  the  inhabitants  of  so 
populous  a city. 

“ Having  rode  above  two  miles  along  this  great  street, 
and  passed  by  fifty  other  streets,  which  turned  off  on 
both  sides,  we  at  last  turned  in  ourselves ; and,  coming 
to  our  inn,  found  our  lodgings  ready  in  the  upper  story 
of  a back  house,  which  had  no  other  access  but  through 
a by-lane.  We  arrived  at  one  in  the  afternoon,  having 
completed  our  journey  from  Nagasaki  in  twenty-nine 
days. 

“Yedo,1  the  residence  of  the  emperor,  the  capital, 
and  by  much  the  largest  city  of  the  empire,  is  seated  in 
the  province  Musashi,  in  35°  32'  of  northern  latitude 
(according  to  Kiimpfer’s  observations),  on  a large  plain, 
at  the  head  of  a gulf,  plentifully  stored  with  fish,  crabs, 
and  other  shell-fish,  but  so  shallow,  with  a muddy  clay 

1 See  papers  on  Yedo  in  vols.  i and  vii  of  the  “Transactions  of  the 
Asiatic  Society  of  Japan.”  — Edr. 


78 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


at  the  bottom,  that  no  ships  of  bulk  can  come  up  to  the 
city,  but  must  be  unladen  a league  or  two  below  it. 

“ Towards  the  sea  the  city  hath  the  figure  of  a half- 
moon, and  the  Japanese  will  have  it  to  be  seven  of  their 
miles  (about  sixteen  English  miles)  long,  five  (twelve 
English)  broad,  and  twenty  (fifty  English)  in  circum- 
ference. It  is  not  enclosed  with  a wall,  no  more  than 
other  towns  in  Japan,  but  cut  through  by  many  broad 
canals,  with  ramparts  raised  on  both  sides,  and  planted 
at  the  top  with  rows  of  trees,  not  so  much  for  defence 
as  to  prevent  the  fires  — which  happen  here  too  fre- 
quently — from  making  too  great  a havoc. 

“A  large  river,  rising  westward  of  the  city,  runs 
through  it,  and  loses  itself  in  the  harbor.  It  sends  off 
a considerable  arm,  which  encompasses  the  castle,  and 
thence  falls  into  the  harbor,  in  five  different  streams, 
every  one  of  which  hath  its  particular  name,  and  a stately 
bridge  over  it.  The  chief,  and  most  famous,  of  these 
bridges,  two  hundred  and  fifty-two  feet  in  length,  is 
called  Nihonbashi,  or  the  bridge  of  Japan,  mention  of 
which  has  already  been  made,  as  the  point  from  which 
distances  are  reckoned  all  over  the  empire. 

“Yedo  is  not  built  with  that  regularity  which  is 
observable  in  most  other  cities  in  Japan  (particularly 
Miyako),  and  this  because  it  swelled  by  degrees  to  its 
present  bulk.  However,  in  some  parts  the  streets  run 
regularly  enough,  cutting  each  other  at  right  angles,  — 
a regularity  entirely  owing  to  accidents  of  fire,  whereby 
some  hundred  houses  being  laid  in  ashes  at  once,  as, 
indeed,  very  frequently  happens,  the  new  street  may 
be  laid  out  upon  what  plan  the  builders  please.”  Many 
places,  which  have  been  thus  destroyed  by  fire,  were 
noticed  by  Kampfer  still  lying  waste.  “The  houses  are 


DESCRIPTION  OF  YEDO 


79 


small  and  low,  built  of  fir  wood,  with  thin  clayed  walls, 
divided  into  rooms  by  paper  screens  and  lattices,  the 
floors  covered  with  mats,  and  the  roofs  with  shavings 
of  wood.  The  whole  machine  being  thus  but  a compo- 
sition of  combustible  matter,  we  need  not  wonder  at 
the  great  havoc  fires  make  in  this  country.  Here,  as 
elsewhere,  almost  every  house  hath  a place  under  the 
roof,  or  upon  it,  where  they  constantly  keep  a tub  full 
of  water,  with  a couple  of  mats,  which  may  be  easily 
come  at,  even  from  without  the  house;  by  which  pre- 
caution they  often  quench  a fire  in  particular  houses; 
but  it  is  far  from  being  sufficient  to  stop  the  fury  of  a 
raging  flame  which  has  got  ground  already,  against 
which  they  know  no  better  remedy  but  to  pull  down 
some  of  the  neighboring  houses  which  have  not  yet 
been  reached,  for  which  purpose  whole  companies  of 
firemen  patrol  about  the  streets  day  and  night. 

“ The  city  is  well  stocked  with  monks,  temples, 
monasteries,  and  other  religious  buildings,  which  are 
seated  in  the  best  and  pleasantest  places,  as  they  are, 
also,  in  Europe,  and,  I believe,  in  all  other  countries. 
The  dwelling-houses  of  private  monks  are  no  ways 
different  from  those  of  the  laity,  excepting  only  that 
they  are  seated  in  some  eminent  conspicuous  place,  with 
some  steps  leading  up  to  them,  and  a small  temple  or 
chapel  hard  by,  or,  if  there  be  none,  at  least  a hall,  or 
large  room,  adorned  with  some  few  altars,  on  which 
stand  several  of  their  idols.  There  are,  besides,  many 
stately  temples  built  to  Amida,  Shaka,  Ivwannon,  and 
several  other  of  their  gods,  not  necessary  to  be  particu- 
larly described  here,  as  they  do  not  differ  much  in  form 
or  structure  from  other  temples  erected  to  the  same 
gods  at  Miyako,  which  we  shall  have  an  opportunity  to 


80 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


view  and  describe  more  particularly  upon  our  return  to 
that  city. 

“There  are  many  stately  palaces  in  Yedo,  as  may  be 
easily  conjectured,  by  its  being  the  residence  of  the 
emperor,  and  the  abode  of  all  the  noble  and  princely 
families.  They  are  distinguished  from  other  houses  by 
large  court-yards  and  stately  gates.  Fine  varnished 
staircases,  of  a few  steps,  lead  up  to  the  door  of  the 
house,  which  is  divided  into  several  magnificent  apart- 
ments, all  of  a floor,  they  being  not  above  one  story 
high,  nor  adorned  with  towers,  as  the  castles  and  palaces 
are  where  the  princes  and  lords  of  the  empire  reside  in 
their  hereditary  dominions. 

“The  city  of  Yedo  is  a nursery  of  artists,  handicrafts- 
men, merchants,  and  tradesmen,  and  }ret  everything  is 
sold  dearer  than  anywhere  else  in  the  empire,  by  reason 
of  the  great  concourse  of  people,  and  the  number  of  idle 
monks  and  courtiers,  as,  also,  the  difficulty  of  importing 
provisions  and  other  commodities. 

“ The  political  government  of  this  city  is  much  the 
same  as  at  Nagasaki  and  Osaka.  Two  governors  have 
the  command  of  the  town  by  turns,  each  for  the  space 
of  one  year.  The  chief  subaltern  officers  are  the  Burgo- 
masters, as  the  Dutch  call  them,  or  mayor’s,  who  have 
the  command  of  particular  quarters,  and  the  Ottona, 
who  have  the  inspection  and  subordinate  command  of 
single  streets. 

“The  castle  and  residence  of  the  emperor  is  seated 
about  the  middle  of  the  city.  It  is  of  an  irregular 
figure,  inclining  to  the  round,  and  hath  five  Japanese 
miles  in  circumference.  It  embraces  two  fore-castles, 
as  one  may  call  them,  the  innermost  and  third  castle, 
which  is  properly  the  residence  of  the  emperor,  and  two 


A Carpenter  Shop 


JHBH 


CASTLES  AND  PALACES 


81 


other  strong,  well  fortified,  but  smaller  castles  at  the 
sides,  also  some  large  gardens  behind  the  imperial  pal- 
ace. I call  these  several  divisions  castles,  because  they 
are  every  one  by  itself,  enclosed  with  walls  and  ditches. 

“ The  first  and  outermost  castle  takes  in  a large  spot 
of  ground,  which  encompasses  the  second  castle,  and 
half  the  imperial  residence,  and  is  enclosed  itself  with 
walls  and  ditches,  and  strong,  well-guarded  gates.  It 
hath  so  many  streets,  ditches,  and  canals,  that  I could 
not  easily  get  a plan  of  it.  Nor  could  I gather  any- 
thing to  my  satisfaction  out  of  the  plans  of  the  Japanese 
themselves.1  In  this  outermost  castle  reside  the  princes 
of  the  empire,  with  their  families,  living  in  commodious 
and  stately  palaces,  built  in  streets,  with  spacious  courts, 
shut  up  by  strong,  heavy  gates.  The  second  castle 
takes  in  a much  smaller  spot  of  ground.  It  fronts  the 
third,  and  residence  of  the  emperor,  and  is  enclosed  by 
the  first,  but  separated  from  both  by  walls,  ditches, 
draw-bridges,  and  strong  gates.  The  guard  of  this 
second  castle  is  much  more  numerous  than  that  of  the 
first.  In  it  are  the  stately  palaces  of  some  of  the  most 
powerful  princes  of  the  empire,  the  councillors  of  state, 
the  prime  ministers,  chief  officers  of  the  crown,  and 
such  other  persons  who  must  give  a more  immediate 
attendance  upon  the  emperor’s  person. 

“The  castle  itself,  where  the  emperor  resides,  is 
seated  somewhat  higher  than  the  others,  on  the  top  of 
a hill,  which  hath  been  purposely  flatted  for  the  impe- 
rial palace  to  be  built  upon  it.  It  is  enclosed  with  a 
thick,  strong  wall  of  freestone,  with  bastions  standing 

1 One  of  these  Japanese  plans  is  published  as  a frontispiece  to  Tit- 
singh’s  “ Illustrations  of  Japan.”  This  plan  would  seem  to  embrace 
only  what  Kampfer  speaks  of,  further  on,  as  “ the  palace  itself.” 
vol.  n.  — 6 


82 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


out,  much  after  the  manner  of  the  European  fortifica- 
tions. A rampart  of  earth  is  raised  against  the  inside 
of  this  wall,  and  at  the  top  of  it  stand,  for  ornament 
and  defence,  several  long  buildings  and  quare  guard- 
houses, built  in  form  of  towers,  several  stories  high. 
Particularly  the  structures  on  that  side  where  the  im- 
perial residence  is  are  of  an  uncommon  strength,  all  of 
freestone  of  an  extraordinary  size,  which  are  barely 
laid  upon  each  other,  without  being  fastened  either 
with  mortar  or  braces  of  iron,  which  was  done,  they 
say,  that,  in  case  of  earthquakes,  which  frequently 
happen  in  this  country,  the  stones  yielding  to  the 
shock,  the  wall  itself  should  receive  no  damage. 

“Within  the  palace  a square  white  tower  rises  aloft 
above  all  other  buildings.  It  is  many  stories  high, 
adorned  with  roofs  and  other  curious  ornaments,  which 
make  the  whole  castle  look,  at  a distance,  magnificent 
beyond  expression,  amazing  the  beholders,  as  do,  also, 
the  many  other  beautiful  bended  roofs,  with  gilt  dragons 
at  the  top,  which  cover  the  rest  of  the  buildings  within 
the  castle. 

“ The  side  castles  are  very  small,  and  more  like  cita- 
dels, without  any  outward  ornament.  There  is  but  one 
passage  to  them,  out  of  the  emperor’s  own  residence, 
over  a high,  long  bridge.  Both  are  enclosed  with 
strong,  high  walls,  encompassed  with  broad,  deep 
ditches,  filled  by  the  great  river.  In  these  two  castles 
are  bred  up  the  imperial  princes  and  princesses. 

“ Behind  the  imperial  residence  there  is  still  a rising 
ground,  beautified,  according  to  the  country  fashion, 
with  curious  and  magnificent  gardens  and  orchards, 
which  are  terminated  by  a pleasant  wood  at  the  top  of 
a hill,  planted  with  two  curious  kinds  of  plane-trees, 


IMPERIAL  PALACE 


83 


whose  starry  leaves,  variegated  with  green,  yellow,  and 
red,  are  very  pleasing  to  the  eye,  of  which  the  Japanese 
affirm  that  one  kind  is  in  full  beauty  in  spring,  the 
other  towards  autumn. 

“The  palace  itself  hath  but  one  story,  which,  how- 
ever, is  of  a fine  height.  It  takes  in  a large  spot  of 
ground,  and  hath  several  long  galleries  and  spacious 
rooms,  which,  upon  putting  on  or  removing  of  screens, 
may  be  enlarged  or  brought  into  a narrower  compass,  as 
occasion  requires,  and  are  contrived  so  as  to  receive  at 
all  times  a convenient  and  sufficient  light.  The  chief 
apartments  have  each  its  particular  name.  Such  are, 
for  instance,  the  waiting-room,  where  all  persons  that 
are  to  be  admitted  to  an  audience,  either  of  the  emperor 
or  his  prime  ministers  of  state,  wait  till  they  are  intro- 
duced; the  council-chamber,  where  the  ministers  of 
state  and  privy  councillors  meet  upon  business;  the 
hall  of  thousand  mats,  where  the  emperor  receives  the 
homage  and  usual  presents  of  the  princes  of  the  empire 
and  ambassadors  of  foreign  powers;  several  halls  of 
audience;  the  apartments  for  the  emperor’s  household, 
and  others.  The  structure  of  all  these  several  apart- 
ments is  exquisitely  fine,  according  to  the  architecture 
of  the  country.  The  ceilings,  beams,  and  pillars  are 
of  cedar,  or  camphor,  or  jeseriwood,  the  grain  of  which 
naturally  runs  into  flowers  and  other  curious  figures, 
and  is,  therefore,  in  some  apartments,  covered  only  with 
a thin,  transparent,  layer  of  varnish,  in  others  japanned, 
or  curiously  carved  with  birds  and  branched  work,  neatly 
gilt.  The  floor  is  covered  with  the  finest  white  mats, 
bordered  with  gold  fringes  or  bands;  and  this  is  all  the 
furniture  to  be  seen  in  the  palaces  of  the  emperor  and 
princes  of  the  empire.” 


84 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


The  20th  of  March,  the  last  of  the  second  Japanese 
month,  was  appointed  for  the  reception  of  the  Dutch,  — 
Makino  Bingo-no-Ivami,  the  emperor’s  principal  coun- 
sellor and  favorite,  being  in  a hurry  to  get  rid  of  them, 
because  on  the  fifth  of  the  ensuing  month  he  was  to 
have  the  honor  to  treat  the  emperor  at  dinner,  a favor 
which  requires  a good  deal  of  time  and  vast  prepara- 
tions. “This  Bingo,”  says  Kampfer,  “tutor  to  the 
reigning  monarch  before  he  came  to  the  crown,  is  now 
his  chief  favorite,  and  the  only  person  whom  he  abso- 
lutely confides  in.  At  our  audience  it  is  he  that  re- 
ceives the  emperor’s  words  and  commands  from  his  own 
mouth,  and  addresses  the  same  to  us.  He  is  near 
seventy  years  of  age,  a tall  but  lean  man,  with  a long 
face,  a manly  and  German-like  countenance,  slow  in  his 
actions,  and  very  civil  in  his  whole  behavior.  He  hath 
the  character  of  a just  and  prudent  man,  no  ways  given 
to  ambition,  nor  inclined  to  revenge,  nor  bent  upon 
heaping  up  immoderate  riches  — in  short,  of  being  al- 
together worthy  of  the  great  confidence  and  trust  the 
emperor  puts  in  him.” 


CHAPTER  XXXVII 


Personages  to  be  visited  — Fi'sj't  to  the  Emperor — First  Audience  — Second 
Audience  — V'isit  to  the  Houses  of  the  Councillors  — Visits  to  the  Gover- 
nors of  Yedo  and  the  Temple  Lords  — Visit  to  the  Houses  of  the  Gover- 
nors of  Nagasaki — Audience  of  Leave — Return  — F««ts  to  Temples  in 
the  Vicinity  of  Miyako  — A.  D.  1691-1692. 

THE  ministers  of  state  and  other  great  men  at  court, 
some  of  whom  the  Dutch  were  to  visit,  and  to 
make  presents  to  others,  were  the  live  chief  coun- 
cillors of  state,  called  Goroju , or  the  five  elderly  men ; 
four  imperial  deputy  councillors  of  state ; the  three 
Jisha-bugyo,  as  they  are  called,  that  is,  lords  of  the  tem- 
ple ; the  imperial  commissioners,  as  the  Dutch  call  them, 
described  by  Kiimpfer  as  the  emperor’s  attorney-generals 
for  the  city  of  Yedo;  the  two  governors  of  Yedo;  and, 
hist  of  all,  that  one  of  the  governors  of  Nagasaki  resident 
at  Yedo. 

“ On  the  29th  of  March,”  1 says  Kiimpfer,  “ the  day 
appointed  for  our  audience,  the  presents  designed  for  his 
imperial  majesty  2 were  sent  to  court,  to  be  there  laid  in 
due  order  on  wooden  tables,  in  the  hall  of  hundred  mats, 
as  they  call  it,  where'  the  emperor  was  to  view  them.  We 
followed  soon  after  with  a very  inconsiderable  equipage, 

1 The  ‘23d  a considerable  shock  of  an  earthquake  was  felt.  The 
weather  that  day  was  excessively  hot.  The  next  day  it  was  very  cold, 
with  snow. 

2 The  reigning  emperor  was  Tsuni  Yoshi,  who  had  succeeded  to  the 
empire  in  1081,  the  fourth  in  succession  from  Gongen-Sama,  the  foun- 
der of  the  dynasty.  The  Japanese  accounts,  according  to  Titsingh, 
give  him  but  a bad  character. 


86 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


clad  in  black  silk  cloaks,  as  garments  of  ceremony,  at- 
tended by  three  stewards  of  the  governors  of  Nagasaki, 
our  Doshin,  or  deputy  Bugio,  two  town  messengers  of 
Nagasaki,  and  an  interpreter’s  son,  all  walking  on  foot. 
We  three  Dutchmen  and  our  second  interpreter  rode  on 
horseback,  behind  each  other,  our  horses  led  by  grooms, 
who  took  them  by  the  bridle.  Our  president,  or  captain, 
as  the  Japanese  call  him,  came  after  us,  carried  in  a 
norimono,  and  was  followed  by  our  old  chief  interpreter, 
carried  in  a kago.  The  procession  was  closed  by  the  rest 
of  our  servants  and  retinue,  walking  a-foot  at  proper 
distances,  so  far  as  they  were  permitted  to  follow  us. 

“ In  this  order  we  moved  on  towards  the  castle,  and 
after  about  half  an  hour’s  riding  came  to  the  first  enclos- 
ure, which  we  found  well  fortified  with  walls  and  ram- 
parts. This  we  entered  over  a large  bridge  across  a 
broad  river,  on  which  we  saw  great  numbers  of  boats 
and  vessels.  The  entry  is  through  two  strong  gates, 
with  a small  guard  between  them . Having  passed  through 
the  second  gate,  we  came  to  a large  place,  where  we  found 
another  more  numerous  guard,  which,  however,  seemed 
to  be  intended  more  for  state  than  defence.  The  guard- 
room  was  hung  about  with  cloth  ; pikes  were  planted 
in  the  ground  near  the  entry,  and  within  it  was  curi- 
ously adorned  with  gilt  arms,  lackered  guns,  pikes, 
shields,  bows,  arrows,  and  quivers.  The  soldiers  on  the 
ground  were  in  good  order,  clad  in  black  silk,  each  with 
two  scymitars  stuck  in  their  girdle. 

“ Having  passed  across  this  first  enclosure,  riding  be- 
tween the  houses  and  palaces  of  the  princes  and  lords  of 
the  empire,  built  within  its  compass,  we  came  to  the 
second,  which  we  found  fortified  much  after  the  same 
manner,  only  the  gates  and  inner  guard  and  palaces  were 


VISIT  TO  THE  EMPEROR 


87 


much  more  stately  and  magnificent.  We  left  our  nori- 
mono  and  kago  here,  as  also  our  horses  and  servants,  and 
were  conducted  across  this  second  enclosure  to  the  Tono- 
machi  (Lord-street),  which  we  entered  over  a long  stone 
bridge  ; and  having  passed  through  a double  bastion,  and 
as  many  strong  gates,  and  thence  about  twenty  paces 
further  through  an  irregular  street,  built,  as  the  situation 
of  the  ground  would  allow  it,  with  walls  of  an  uncom- 
mon height  on  both  sides,  we  came  to  the  Hiakunvnban, 
that  is,  guard  of  hundred  men,  or  great  guard  of  the 
castle.  Here  we  were  commanded  to  wait  till  we  could 
be  introduced  to  an  audience,  which  we  were  told  should 
be  as  soon  as  the  great  council  of  state  was  met  in  the 
palace.  We  were  civilly  received  by  the  two  captains  of 
the  guard,  who  treated  us  with  tea  and  tobacco.  Soon 
after,  Kawaguchi  Settsu-no-Kami  (the  governor  of  Naga- 
saki resident  at  Yedo)  and  the  two  commissioners  came 
to  compliment  us,  along  with  some  gentlemen  of  the 
emperor’s  court,  who  were  strangers  to  us.  Having 
waited  about  an  hour,  during  which  time  most  of  the 
imperial  councillors  of  state,  old  and  young,  went  into 
the  palace,  some  walking  on  foot,  others  carried  in  nori- 
mono,  we  were  conducted  through  two  stately  gates,  over 
a large  square  place,  to  the  palace,  to  which  there  is  an 
ascent  of  a few  steps  leading  from  the  second  gate.  The 
place  between  the  second  gate  and  the  front  of  the  pal- 
ace is  but  a few  paces  broad,  and  was  then  excessively 
crowded  with  throngs  of  courtiers  and  troops  of  guards 
“ Thence  we  were  conducted  up  two  other  staircases 
into  a spacious  room  next  to  the  entry  on  the  right,  being 
the  place  where  all  persons  that  are  to  be  admitted  to  an 
audience  wait  till  they  are  called  in.  It  is  a large  and 
lofty  room,  but,  when  all  the  screens  are  put  on,  pretty 


88 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


dark,  receiving  but  a sparing  light  from  the  upper  win- 
dows of  an  adjoining  room.  It  is  otherwise  richly  fur- 
nished, according  to  the  country  fashion,  and  its  gilt 
posts,  walls,  and  screens  are  very  pleasing  to  behold. 

“ Having  waited  here  upwards  of  an  hour,  and  the 
emperor  having  in  the  meanwhile  seated  himself  in  the 
hall  of  audience,  Settsu-no-Kami  and  the  two  commis- 
sioners came  in  and  conducted  our  president  into  the 
emperor’s  presence,  leaving  us  behind.  As  soon  as  he 
came  thither,  they  cried  out  aloud,  ‘ Hollanda  Captain ! ’ 
which  was  the  signal  for  him  to  draw  near  and  make  his 
obeisance.  Accordingly  he  crawled  on  his  hands  and 
knees  to  a place  showed  him  between  the  presents, 
ranged  in  due  order  on  one  side,  and  the  place  where 
the  emperor  sat  on  the  other,  and  then  kneeling,  he 
bowed  his  forehead  quite  down  to  the  ground,  and  so 
crawled  backwards  like  a crab,  without  uttering  one 
single  word.  So  mean  and  short  a thing  is  the  audience 
we  have  of  this  mighty  monarch.  Nor  are  there  any 
more  ceremonies  observed  in  the  audience  he  gives  even 
to  the  greatest  and  most  powerful  princes  of  the  empire ; 
for,  having  been  called  into  the  hall,  their  names  are  cried 
out  aloud ; then  they  move  on  their  hands  and  feet  hum- 
bly and  silently  towards  the  emperor’s  seat,  and  having 
showed  their  submission  by  bowing  their  forehead  down 
to  the  ground,  they  creep  back  again  in  the  same  sub- 
missive posture. 

“ The  hall  of  audience  is  not  in  the  least  like  that 
which  hath  been  described  and  figured  by  Montanus  in 
his  ‘ Memorable  Embassies  of  the  Dutch  to  the  Emperors 
of  Japan.’  The  elevated  throne,  the  steps  leading  up  to 
it,  the  carpet  pendent  from  it,  the  stately  columns  sup- 
porting the  building  which  contains  the  throne,  the 


Ploughing;  A Freight  Cart 


IMPERIAL  AUDIENCE 


89 


columns  between  which  the  princes  of  the  empire  are 
said  to  prostrate  themselves  before  the  emperor,  and  the 
like,  have  all  no  manner  of  foundation  but  in  that 
author’s  fancy.  The  floor  is  covered  with  an  hundred 
mats,  all  of  the  same  size.  Hence  it  is  called  Senjo-shiki, 
that  is,  The  Hall  of  an  Hundred  Mats.1  It  opens  on  one 
side  towards  a small  court,  which  lets  in  the  light ; on 
the  opposite  side  it  joins  two  other  apartments,  which 
are  on  this  occasion  laid  open  towards  the  same  court, 
one  of  which  is  considerably  larger  than  the  other,  and 
serves  for  the  councillors  of  state  when  they  give  audi- 
ence by  themselves.  The  other  is  narrower,  deeper,  and 
one  step  higher  than  the  hall  itself.  In  this  the  emperor 
sits  when  he  gives  audience,  raised  only  on  a few  carpets. 
Nor  is  it  an  easy  matter  to  see  him,  the  light  reaching 
not  quite  so  far  as  the  place  where  he  sits,  besides  that 
the  audience  is  too  short,  and  the  person  admitted  to  it, 
in  so  humble  and  submissive  a posture  that  he  cannot 
well  have  an  opportunity  to  hold  up  his  head  and  to 
view  him.  This  audience  is  otherwise  very  awful  and 
majestic,  by  reason  chiefly  of  the  silent  presence  of  all 
the  councillors  of  state,  as  also  of  many  princes  and 
lords  of  the  empire,  the  gentlemen  of  his  majesty’s  bed- 
chamber, and  other  chief  officers  of  his  court,  who  line 
the  hall  of  audience  and  all  its  avenues,  sitting  in  good 
order,  and  clad  in  then-  garments  of  ceremony. 

“ Formerly  all  we  had  to  do,  at  the  emperor’s  court, 
was  completed  by  the  captain’s  paying  the  usual  homage, 

1 Sen  is  not  a hundred,  hut  a thousand.  According  to  Klaproth 
(Annals  des  Dairi,  p.  184),  ken  does  not  signify  a mat,  as  Kampfer 
translates  it  (though  mats  were  made  of  that  length),  but  a space 
between  columns.  It  was  a measure  of  length  divided  into  six  Jap- 
anese feet,  but  equal  to  seven  feet  four  inches  and  a half,  Rhineland 
measure. 


90 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


after  the  manner  above  related.  But,  for  about  these 
twenty  years  last  past,  he  and  the  rest  of  the  Dutchmen 
that  came  up  with  the  embassy  to  Yedo,  were  conducted 
deeper  into  the  palace,  to  give  the  empress,  and  the  ladies 
of  her  court,  and  the  princesses  of  the  blood,  the  diversion 
of  seeing  us.  In  this  second  audience  the  emperor  and 
the  ladies  invited  to  it  attend  behind  screens  and  lattices, 
but  the  councillors  of  state  and  other  officers  of  the  court 
sit  in  the  open  rooms  in  their  usual  and  elegant  order. 
As  soon  as  the  captain  had  paid  his  homage,  the  emperor 
retired  into  his  apartment,  and  not  long  after  we  three 
Dutclnnen  were  likewise  called  up  and  conducted,  to- 
gether with  the  captain,  through  several  apartments,  into 
a gallery  curiously  carved  and  gilt,  where  we  waited 
about  a quarter  of  an  hour,  and  were  then,  through  sev- 
eral other  walks  and  galleries,  carried  further  into  a 
large  room,  where  they  desired  us  to  sit  down,  and  where 
several  courtiers  with  shaved  heads,  being  the  emperor’s 
physicians,  the  officers  of  his  kitchen,  and  some  of  the 
clergy,  came  to  ask  after  our  names,  age,  and  the  like ; 
but  gilt  screens  were  quickly  drawn  before  us,  to  deliver 
us  from  their  throng  and  troublesome  importunity. 

“ We  stayed  here  about  half  an  hour;  meanwhile  the 
court  met  in  the  imperial  apartments,  where  we  were  to 
have  our  second  audience,  and  whither  we  were  con- 
ducted through  several  dark  galleries.  Along  all  these 
several  galleries  there  was  one  continued  row  of  life- 
guardsmen,  and  nearer  to  the  imperial  apartments  fol- 
lowed in  the  same  row  some  great  officers,  who  lined  the 
front  of  the  hall  of  audience,  clad  in  their  garments  of 
ceremony,  bowing  their  heads  and  sitting  on  their  heels. 

“ The  hall  of  audience  consisted  of  several  rooms  look- 
ing towards  a middle  place,  some  of  which  were  laid  open 


THE  EMPRESS 


91 


towards  the  same,  others  covered  by  screens  and  lattices. 
Some  were  of  fifteen  mats,  others  of  eighteen,  and  they 
were  a mat  higher  or  lower,  according  to  the  quality  of 
the  persons  seated  in  the  same.  The  middle  place  had 
no  mats  at  all,  they  having  been  taken  away,  and  was 
consequently  the  lowest,  on  whose  floor,  covered  with 
neat  varnished  boards,  we  were  commanded  to  sit  down. 
The  emperor  and  his  imperial  consort  sat  behind  the 
lattices  on  our  right.  As  I was  dancing,  at  the  emperor’s 
command,  I had  an  opportunity  twice  of  seeing  the  em- 
press through  the  slits  of  the  lattices,  and  took  notice 
that  she  was  of  a brown  and  beautiful  complexion,  with 
black  European  eyes,  full  of  fire,  and  from  the  propor- 
tion of  her  head,  which  was  pretty  large,  I judged  her  to 
be  a tall  woman,  and  about  thirty-six  years  of  age.  By 
lattices,  I mean  hangings  made  of  reed,  split  exceedingly 
thin  and  fine,  and  covered  on  the  back  with  a fine,  trans- 
parent silk,  with  openings  about  a span  broad,  for  the 
persons  behind  to  look  through.  For  ornament’s  sake, 
and  the  better  to  hide  the  persons  standing  behind,  they 
are  painted  with  divers  figures,  though  it  would  be  im- 
possible to  see  them  at  a distance  when  the  light  is  taken 
off  behind. 

“ The  emperor  himself  was  in  such  an  obscure  place 
that  we  should  scarce  have  known  him  to  be  present  had 
not  his  voice  discovered  him,  which  yet  was  so  low,  as  if 
he  purposely  intended  to  be  there  incognito.  Just  before 
us,  behind  other  lattices  were  the  princes  of  the  blood 
and  the  ladies  of  the  empress  and  her  court.  I took 
notice  that  pieces  of  paper  were  put  between  the  reeds, 
in  some  parts  of  the  lattices,  to  make  the  openings 
wider,  in  order  to  a better  and  easier  sight.  I counted 
about  thirty  such  papers,  which  made  me  conclude, 


92 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


that  there  was  about  that  number  of  persons  sitting 
behind. 

“ Bingo  sat  on  a raised  mat,  in  an  open  room  by  himself, 
just  before  us,  towards  our  right,  on  which  side  the  em- 
peror sat  behind  the  lattices.  On  our  left,  in  another 
room,  were  the  councillors  of  state  of  the  first  and  second 
rank,  sitting  in  a double  row  in  good  and  becoming  order. 
The  gallery  behind  us  was  filled  with  the  chief  officers  of 
the  emperor’s  court  and  the  gentlemen  of  his  bed-chamber. 
The  gallery,  which  led  into  the  room  where  the  emperor 
was,  was  filled  with  the  sons  of  some  princes  of  the  em- 
pire, then  at  court,  the  emperor’s  pages  and  some  priests 
After  this  manner  it  was  that  they  ordered  the  stage  on 
which  we  were  now  to  act. 

“ The  commissioners  for  foreign  affairs  having  con- 
ducted us  into  the  gallery  before  the  hall  of  audience, 
one  of  the  councillors  of  state  of  the  second  rank  came 
to  receive  us  there  and  to  conduct  us  to  the  above- 
described  middle  place,  on  which  we  were  commanded 
to  sit  down,  having  first  made  our  obeisances  after  the 
Japanese  manner,  creeping  and  bowing  our  heads  to  the 
ground,  towards  that  part  of  the  lattices  behind  which 
the  emperor  was.  The  chief  interpreter  sat  himself  a 
little  forward,  to  hear  more  distinctly,  and  we  took  our 
places  on  his  left  hand,  all  in  a row.  After  the  usual 
obeisances,  Bingo  bid  us  welcome  in  the  emperor’s  name. 
The  chief  interpreter  received  the  compliment  from 
Bingo’s  mouth,  and  repeated  it  to  us.  Upon  this  the 
ambassador  made  his  compliment  in  the  name  of  his 
masters,  returning  their  most  humble  thanks  to  the  em- 
peror for  having  graciously  granted  the  Dutch  liberty  of 
commerce.  This  the  chief  interpreter  repeated  in  Japa- 
nese, having  prostrated  himself  quite  to  the  ground,  and 


FAMILIAR  RECEPTION 


93 


speaking  loud  enough  to  be  heard  by  the  emperor.  The 
emperor’s  answer  was  again  received  by  Bingo,  who 
delivered  it  to  the  chief  interpreter,  and  he  to  us.  He 
might  have,  indeed,  received  it  himself  from  the  emperor’s 
own  mouth,  and  saved  Bingo  this  unnecessary  trouble; 
but  I fancy  that  the  words,  as  they  flow  out  of  the  em- 
peror’s mouth,  are  esteemed  too  precious  and  sacred  for 
an  immediate  transit  into  the  mouth  of  persons  of  a low 
rank. 

“ The  mutual  compliments  being  over,  the  succeeding 
part  of  this  solemnity  turned  to  a perfect  farce.  We 
were  asked  a thousand  ridiculous  and  impertinent  ques- 
tions. They  desired  to  know  how  old  each  of  us  was, 
and  what  was  his  name,  which  we  were  commanded  to 
write  upon  a bit  of  paper,  in  anticipation  of  which  we 
had  provided  ourselves  with  an  European  inkhorn.  This 
paper,  together  with  the  inkhorn  itself,  we  were  com- 
manded to  give  to  Bingo,  who  delivered  them  both  into 
the  emperor’s  hands,  reaching  them  over  below  the  lattice. 
The  captain,  or  ambassador,  was  asked  the  distance  of 
Holland  from  Batavia,  and  of  Batavia  from  Nagasaki; 
also  which  of  the  two  was  the  most  powerful,  the  Direc- 
tor-general of  the  Dutch  East  India  Company  at  Batavia, 
or  the  Prince  of  Holland?  As  for  my  own  particular, 
the  following  questions  were  put  to  me.  What  external 
and  internal  distempers  I thought  the  most  dangerous 
and  most  difficult  to  cure?  How  I proceeded  in  the 
cure  of  cancerous  humors  and  imposthumations  of  the 
inner  parts  ? Whether  our  European  physicians  did  not 
search  after  some  medicine  to  render  people  immortal,  as 
the  Chinese  physicians  had  done  for  many  hundred  years  ? 
Whether  we  had  made  any  considerable  progress  in  this 
search,  and  which  was  the  last  remedy  conducive  to  long 


94 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


life  that  had  been  found  out  in  Europe  ? To  which  I 
returned  in  answer,  that  very  many  European  physicians 
had  long  labored  to  find  out  some  medicine,  which  should 
have  the  virtue  of  prolonging  human  life  and  preserving 
people  in  health  to  a great  age ; and,  having  thereupon 
been  asked  which  I thought  the  best,  I answered,  that  I 
always  took  that  to  be  the  best  which  was  found  out  last, 
till  experience  taught  us  a better;  and  being  further 
asked,  which  was  the  last,  I answered,  a certain  spirituous 
liquor,  which  could  keep  the  humors  of  our  body  fluid 
and  comfort  the  spirits.  This  general  answer  proved  not 
altogether  satisfactory  ; for  I was  quickly  desired  to  let 
them  know  the  name  of  this  excellent  medicine,  upon 
which,  knowing  that  whatever  was  esteemed  by  the 
Japanese  had  long  and  high-sounding  names,  I returned 
in  answer  it  was  the  Sal  volatile  Oleosum  Sylvii.  This 
name  was  minuted  down  behind  the  lattices,  for  which 
purpose  I was  commanded  to  repeat  it  several  times. 
The  next  question  was,  who  it  was  that  found  it  out,  and 
where  it  was  found  out?  I answered,  Professor  Sylvius, 
in  Holland.  Then  they  asked  whether  I could  make  it 
up.  Upon  this  our  resident  whispered  me  to  say  no ; 
but  I answered,  yes,  I could  make  it  up,  but  not  here. 
Then  it  was  asked  whether  it  could  be  had  at  Batavia ; 
and  having  returned,  in  answer,  that  it  was  to  be  had 
there,  the  emperor  desired  that  it  should  be  sent  over  by 
the  next  ships. 

“ The  emperor,  hitherto  seated  almost  opposite  to  us, 
at  a considerable  distance,  now  drew  nearer,  and  sat 
himself  down  on  our  right,  behind  the  lattices,  as  near 
us  as  possible.  He  ordered  us  to  take  off  our  kappas,  or 
cloaks,  being  our  garments  of  ceremony ; then  to  stand 
upright,  that  he  might  have  a full  view  of  us ; again  to 


VISITATION  EXERCISES 


95 


walk,  to  stand  still,  to  compliment  each  other,  to  dance, 
to  jump,  to  play  the  drunkard,  to  speak  broken  Japanese, 
to  read  Dutch,  to  paint,  to  sing,  to  put  our  cloaks  on  and 
off.  Meanwhile  we  obeyed  the  emperor’s  commands  in 
the  best  manner  we  could,  I joining  to  my  dance  a 
love-song  in  High  German.  In  this  manner,  and  with 
innumerable  such  other  apish  tricks,  we  must  suffer 
ourselves  to  contribute  to  the  emperor’s  and  the  court’s 
diversion.  The  ambassador,  however,  is  free  from  these 
and  the  like  commands,  for,  as  he  represents  the  author- 
ity of  his  masters,  some  care  is  taken  that  nothing  should 
be  done  to  injure  or  prejudice  the  same  ; and  besides  he 
showed  so  much  gravity  on  his  countenance  and  whole 
behavior,  as  was  sufficient  to  convince  the  Japanese  that 
he  was  not  at  all  a fit  person  to  have  such  ridiculous  and 
comical  commands  laid  upon  him. 

“ Having  been  thus  exercised  for  a matter  of  two 
hours,  though  with  great  apparent  civility,  some  shaved 
servants  came  in  and  put  before  each  of  us  a small  table 
with  Japanese  victuals,  and  a couple  of  ivory  sticks  in- 
stead of  knives  and  forks.  We  took  and  ate  some  little 
things,  and  our  old  chief  interpreter,  though  scarce  able  to 
walk,  was  commanded  to  carry  away  the  remainder  for 
himself.  We  were  then  ordered  to  put  on  our  cloaks 
again  and  to  take  our  leave;  which  we  gladly  and  with- 
out delay  complied  with,  putting  thereby  an  end  to  this 
second  audience.1  The  imperial  audience  over,  we  were 

1 In  liis  account  of  his  second  visit  to  Yedo,  a year  later,  Kampfer 
gives  the  following  account  of  this  second  audience:  “Soon  after  we 
came  in,  and  had,  after  the  usual  observances,  seated  ourselves  in  the 
place  assigned  us,  Bingo-sama  welcomed  us  in  the  emperor’s  name,  and 
then  desired  us  to  sit  upright,  to  take  off  our  cloaks,  to  tell  him  our 
names  and  age,  to  stand  up,  to  walk,  to  turn  about,  to  sing  songs,  to 
compliment  one  another,  to  be  angry,  to  invite  one  another  to  dinner,  to 


96 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


conducted  back  by  the  two  commissioners  to  tlie  waiting- 
room,  where  we  took  our  leave  of  them  also. 

“ It  was  now  already  three  o’clock  in  the  afternoon, 
and  we  had  still  several  visits  to  make  to  the  councillors 
of  state  of  the  first  and  second  rank.  Accordingly  we 
left  forthwith,  saluted  as  we  went  by  the  officers  of  the 
great  imperial  guard,  and  made  our  round  a-foot.  The 
presents  had  been  carried  beforehand  to  every  one’s 
house  by  our  clerks.  They  consisted  of  some  Chinese, 
Bengalese,  and  other  silk  stuffs,  some  linen,  black  serge, 
some  yards  of  black  cloth,  gingangs,  pelangs,  and  a 
flask  of  Tent  wine. 

“ We  were  everywhere  received  by  the  stewards  and 
secretaries  with  extraordinary  civility,  and  treated  with 
tea,  tobacco,  and  sweetmeats  as  handsomely  as  the  little 
time  we  had  to  spare  would  allow.  The  rooms  where  we 
were  admitted  to  audience  were  filled  behind  the  screens 
and  lattices  with  crowds  of  spectators,  who  would  fain 
have  obliged  us  to  show  them  some  of  our  European 
customs  and  ceremonies,  but  coidd  obtain  nothing  ex- 
cepting only  a short  dance  at  Bingo’s  house  (who  came 
home  himself  a back  way),  and  a song  from  each  of  us 
at  the  youngest  councillor’s  of  state.  We  then  returned 
again  to  our  kago  and  horses,  and  having  got  out  of  the 
castle,  through  the  northern  gate,  went  back  to  our  inn 
another  way,  on  the  left  of  which  we  took  notice  that 


converse  one  with  another,  to  discourse  in  a familiar  way  like  father 
and  son,  to  show  how  two  friends  or  man  and  wife  compliment  or  take 
leave  of  one  another,  to  play  with  children,  to  carry  them  about  in 
our  arms,  and  to  do  many  more  things  of  a like  nature.  They  made  us 
kiss  one  another  like  man  and  wife,  which  the  ladies,  by  their  laughter, 
showed  themselves  to  be  particularly  well  pleased  with.  It  was  already 
four  in  the  afternoon  when  we  left  the  hall  of  audience,  after  haviug 
been  exercised  after  this  manner  for  two  hours  and  a half.” 


VISITS  TO  THE  HIGH  OFFICERS 


97 


there  were  strong  walls  and  ditches.  It  was  just  six  in 
the  evening  when  we  got  home,  heartily  tired. 

“ Friday,  the  30th  of  March,  we  rode  ont  again  betimes, 
in  the  morning,  to  make  some  of  our  remaining  visits. 
The  presents,  such  as  above  described,  were  sent  before 
us  by  our  Japanese  clerks,  who  took  care  to  lay  them  on 
trays  or  tables,  and  to  arrange  them  in  good  order,  ac- 
cording to  the  country  fashion.  We  were  received  at 
the  entry  of  the  house,  by  one  or  two  of  the  principal 
domestics,  and  conducted  to  the  apartment  where  we 
were  to  have  our  audience.  The  rooms  round  the  hall 
of  audience  were  everywhere  crowded  with  spectators. 
As  soon  as  we  had  seated  ourselves  we  were  treated  with 
tea  and  tobacco.  Then  the  steward  of  the  household 
came  in,  or  else  the  secretary,  either  alone  or  with  an- 
other gentleman,  to  compliment  us,  and  to  receive  our 
compliments,  in  his  master’s  name.  The  rooms  were 
everywhere  so  disposed  as  to  make  us  turn  our  faces 
towards  the  ladies,  by  whom  we  were  very  generously 
and  civilly  treated  with  cakes  and  several  sorts  of  sweet- 
meats. We  visited  and  made  our  presents,  this  day,  to 
the  two  governors  of  Yedo,  to  the  three  ecclesiastical 
judges  (or  temple  lords),  and  to  the  two  commissioners 
for  foreign  affairs,  who  lived  near  a mile  from  each 
other,  one  in  the  southwest,  the  other  in  the  northeast, 
part  of  the  castle.  They  both  profess  themselves  to  be 
particular  patrons  of  the  Dutch,  and  received  us  accord- 
ingly with  great  pomp  and  magnificence.  The  street 
was  lined  with  twenty  men  armed,  who,  with  their  long 
staffs,  which  they  held  on  one  side,  made  a very  good 
figure,  besides  that  they  helped  to  keep  off  the  throng  of 
people  from  being  too  troublesome.  We  were  received 
upon  our  entering  the  house  and  introduced  to  audience, 

VOL.  II.  — 7 


98 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


much  after  the  same  manner  as  we  had  been  in  other 
places,  only  we  were  carried  deeper  into  their  palaces  and 
into  the  innermost  apartment,  on  purpose  that  we  should 
not  be  troubled  with  numbers  of  spectators,  and  be  at 
more  liberty  ourselves  as  well  as  the  ladies  who  were 
invited  to  the  ceremony.  Opposite  us,  in  the  hall  of 
audience,  there  were  grated  lattices,  instead  of  screens, 
for  the  length  of  two  mats  (twelve  feet)  and  upwards, 
behind  which  sat  such  numbers  of  women  of  the  com- 
missioner’s own  family  and  their  relations  and  friends, 
that  there  was  no  room  left.  We  had  scarce  seated 
ourselves,  when  seven  servants,  well  clad,  came  in,  and 
brought  us  pipes  and  tobacco,  with  the  usual  apparatus 
for  smoking.  Soon  after,  they  brought  in  something 
baked,  laid  on  japanned  trays,  then  some  fish  fried,  all 
after  the  same  manner,  by  the  same  number  of  servants, 
and  always  but  one  piece  in  a small  dish  ; then  a couple 
of  eggs,  one  baked,  the  other  boiled  and  shelled,  and  a 
glass  of  old,  strong  sake,  standing  between  them.  After 
this  manner  we  were  entertained  for  about  an  hour  and 
a half,  when  they  desired  us  to  sing  a song  and  to  dance ; 
the  first  we  refused,  but  satisfied  them  as  to  the  last.  In 
the  house  of  the  first  commissioner  a drink  made  of 
sweet  plums  was  offered  us  instead  of  sake.  In  the 
second  commissioner’s  house  we  were  presented  first  of 
all  with  manju  bread,1  in  a brown  liquor,  cold,  with  some 
mustard-seed  and  radishes  laid  about  the  dish,  and  at  last 
with  some  orange-peels  with  sugar,  which  is  a dish  given 
only  upon  extraordinary  occasions,  in  token  of  fortune 

1 This  is  what  Kampfer,  in  another  place,  describes  as  a sort  of  round 
cakes,  which  the  Japanese  had  learned  to  make  of  the  Portuguese,  as 
big  as  a common  hen’s  egg,  and  sometimes  filled  within  with  bean  flour 
and  sugar. 


BILLS  OF  FARE 


09 


and  good  will.  We  then  drank  some  tea,  and  having 
taken  our  leave,  went  back  to  our  inn,  where  we  arrived 
at  five  in  the  evening.” 

(The  following  bills  of  fare  are  given  in  Kampfer’s 
account  of  his  second  visit  to  Yedo:  “At  the  first 

commissioner’s:  1.  Tea.  2.  Tobacco,  with  the  whole 
set  of  instruments  for  smoking.  3.  Philosophical  or 
white  syrup.  4.  A piece  of  stienbrassen,  a veiy  scarce 
fish,  boiled  in  a brown  sauce.  5.  Another  dish  of  fish, 
dressed  with  bran-flower  and  spices.  6.  Cakes  of  eggs 
rolled  together.  7.  Fried  fish,  presented  on  skewers  of 
bamboo.  8.  Lemon-peels  with  sugar. 

“ After  every  one  of  these  dishes  they  made  us  drink 
a dish  of  sake,  as  good  as  ever  I tasted.  We  were  like- 
wise presented  twice,  in  dram  cups,  with  wine  made  of 
plums,  a very  pleasant  and  agreeable  liquor.  Last  of  all, 
we  were  again  presented  with  a cup  of  tea. 

“At  the  second  commissioner’s  we  were  treated,  after 
tea  and  tobacco,  with  the  following  things:  1.  Two 

long  slices  of  manju , dipped  into  a brown  sop  or  sauce, 
with  some  ginger.  2.  Hard  eggs.  3.  Four  common 
fish  fried  and  brought  in  on  bamboo  skewers.  4.  The 
stomachs  of  carps,  salt,  in  a brown  sauce.  5.  Two  small 
slices  of  a goose,  roasted  and  warm,  presented  in  un- 
glazed earthen  dishes. 

“ Good  liquor  was  drank  about  plentifully,  and  the 
commissioner’s  surgeon,  who  was  to  treat  us,  did  not 
miss  to  take  his  full  dose.  Each  guest  was  separately 
served  with  the  above  dishes  on  little  tables  or  salvers, 
about  a foot  square  and  a few  inches  high.) 

“On  the  31st  of  March,  we  rode  out  again  at  ten  in 
the  morning,  and  went  to  the  houses  of  the  three  gover- 
nors of  Nagasaki,  two  of  whom  were  then  absent  on  duty 


100 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


at  Nagasaki.  We  presented  them  on  this  occasion  only 
with  a flask  of  Tent  each,  they  having  already  received 
their  other  presents  at  Nagasaki.  We  were  met  by 
Settsu-no-kami,  the  one  then  at  Yedo,  just  by  the  door 
of  his  house.  He  was  attended  by  a numerous  retinue 
and,  having  called  both  our  interpreters  to  him,  he  com- 
manded them  to  tell  us  his  desire  that  we  should  make 
ourselves  merry  in  his  house.  Accordingly  we  were  re- 
ceived extraordinarily  well,  and  desired  to  walk  about 
and  to  divert  ourselves  in  his  garden,  as  being  now  in  the 
house  of  a friend  at  Yedo,  and  not  in  the  palace  of  our  gov- 
ernor and  magistrate  at  Nagasaki.1  We  were  treated 
with  warm  dishes  and  tea,  much  after  the  same  manner 
as  we  had  been  by  the  commissioners,  and  all  the  while 
civilly  entertained  by  his  own  brother,  and  several  per- 
sons of  quality  of  his  friends  and  relations. 

“ Having  stayed  about  two  hours,  we  went  to  Tono- 
sama’s  house,  where  we  were  conducted  into  the  inner- 
most and  chief  apartment,  and  desired  twice  to  come 
nearer  the  lattices  on  both  sides  of  the  room.  There 
were  more  ladies  behind  the  screens  here  than,  I think,  we 
had  as  yet  met  with  in  any  other  place.  They  desired 
us,  very  civilly,  to  show  them  our  clothes,  the  captain’s 
arms,  rings,  tobacco-pipes,  and  the  like,  some  of  which 
were  reached  them  between  or  under  the  lattices.  The 
person  that  treated  us  in  the  absent  governor’s  name, 
and  the  other  gentlemen  who  were  then  present  in  the 
room,  entertained  us  likewise  very  civilly,  and  we  could 
not  but  take  notice  that  everything  was  so  cordial  that 
we  made  no  manner  of  scruple  of  making  ourselves 
merry,  and  diverting  the  company  each  with  a song. 

1 See  the  character  riven  of  Settsu-no-kami,  as  a harsh  enemy  of  the 
Dutch,  or  at  least,  a strict  disciplinarian  over  them ; vol.  i 347,  348. 


Views  at  Flshimi:  Doll  and  Tot  Shops;  Entrance  to  Ixari  Temple 


AUDIENCE  OF  LEAVE 


101 


The  magnificence  of  this  family  appeared  fully  by  the 
richness  and  exquisiteness  of  this  entertainment,  which 
was  equal  to  that  of  the  first  commissioner’s,  but  far 
beyond  it  in  courteous  civility  and  a free,  open  carriage. 
After  an  hour  and  a half  we  took  our  leave.  The  house 
of  Tonosama  is  the  furthermost  to  the  north  or  north- 
west we  were  to  go  to,  a mile  and  a half  from  our  inn, 
but  seated  in  by  much  the  pleasantest  part  of  the  town, 
where  there  is  an  agreeable  variety  of  hills  and  shrub- 
bery. The  family  of  Tubosama  (?),the  third  governor, 
lives  in  a small,  sorry  house  near  the  ditch  which  encom- 
passes the  castle.  We  met  here  but  a few  women  behind 
a screen,  who  took  up  with  peeping  at  us  through  a few 
holes,  which  they  made  as  they  sat  down.  The  strong 
liquors,  which  we  had  been  this  day  obliged  to  drink  in 
larger  quantities  than  usual,  being  by  this  time  got  pretty 
much  into  our  heads,  we  made  haste  to  return  home,  and 
took  our  leave  as  soon  as  we  had  been  treated,  after  the 
usual  manner,  with  tea  and  tobacco.” 

Two  or  three  days  after  followed  the  audience  of  leave 
preparatory  to  the  return  to  Nagasaki.  Of  this  Kiimpfer 
gives  much  the  fullest  account  in  his  narrative  of  his 
second  visit  to  Yedo,  which  we  follow  here. 

Having  proceeded  to  the  palace  as  at  the  first  audience, 
after  half  an  hour’s  stay  in  the  waiting-room,  the 
“ Captain  Hollanda  ” was  called  in  before  the  councillors 
of  state,  who  directed  one  of  the  commissioners  to  read 
the  usual  orders  to  him,  five  in  number,  chiefly  to  the 
effect  that  the  Dutch  should  not  molest  any  of  the  boats 
or  ships  of  the  Chinese  or  the  Lew  Chewans  trading  to 
Japan,  nor  bring  in  any  Portuguese  or  priests. 

These  orders  being  read,  the  director  was  presented 
with  thirty  gowns,  laid  on  three  of  the  Japanese  wooden 


102 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


stands  or  salvers,  which  he  crept  upon  all  fours  to  re- 
ceive, and  in  token  of  respect  held  one  of  the  gowns 
over  his  head. 

This  ceremony  over,  the  Dutch  were  invited  to  stay  to 
dinner,  which  was  served  up  in  another  room.  Before 
each  was  placed  a small  table  or  salver,  on  which  lay  live 
fresh,  hot,  white  cakes,  as  tough  as  glue,  and  two  hollow 
cakes  of  two  spans  in  circumference,  made  of  flour  and 
sprinkled  with  sesamum  seeds.  A small  porcelain  cup 
contained  some  bits  of  pickled  salmon  in  a brown  sauce, 
by  the  side  of  which  lay  two  wooden  chop-sticks.  Tea 
also  was  served  up,  but  in  “poor  and  sorry”  brown 
dishes,  and  the  tea  itself  proved  to  be  little  better  than 
hot  water.  Fortunately  the  Dutch,  seldom  caught  nap- 
ping upon  that  point,  had  provided  themselves,  before 
leaving  home  in  the  morning,  with  “ a good  substantial 
breakfast  ” ; and,  besides,  they  had  been  treated  in  the 
guard-room  with  fresh  manju , and  with  sweet  brown 
cakes  of  sugar  and  bean  flour. 

While  they  were  eating  this  dinner,  “so  far  from 
answering  to  the  majesty  and  magnificence  of  so  powerful 
a monarch,  that  a worse  one  could  not  have  been  had  at 
any  private  man’s  house,”  several  young  noblemen  busied 
themselves  in  examining  their  hats,  coats,  dress,  etc. 
Dinner  over,  after  half  an  hour  in  the  waiting-room, 
they  were  conducted,  through  passages  and  galleries 
which  they  did  not  remember  to  have  seen  before,  to 
the  hall  of  audience,  which,  by  a change  in  the  position 
of  some  of  the  screens,  presented  quite  a new  appearance. 
They  were  put  in  the  very  same  uncarpeted  spot  as  at 
their  first  audience,  and  were  again  called  upon,  as  then, 
to  answer  questions,  dance,  sing  songs,  and  exhibit 
themselves.  Among  the  persons  called  in  were  two 


JAPANESE  DISHES 


103 


physicians,  with  whom  Kampfer  had  some  professional 
conversation ; also  several  shaven  priests,  one  of  whom 
had  an  ulcer  on  his  shin,  as  to  which  Kampfer’s  opinion 
was  asked.  As  it  was  a fresh  sore,  and  the  inflammation 
about  it  slight,  he  judged  it  to  be  of  no  great  consequence. 
At  the  same  time  he  advised  the  patient  not  to  be  too 
familiar  with  sake,  pretending  to  guess  by  his  wound, 
what  was  obvious  enough  from  his  red  face  and  nose, 
that  he  was  given  to  drinking, — a shrewd  piece  of 
professional  stratagem,  which  occasioned  much  laughter 
at  the  patient’s  expense. 

“ This  farce  over,  a salver  was  brought  in  for  each 
guest,  on  which  was  placed  the  following  Japanese 
dishes:  1.  Two  small,  hollow  loaves,  sprinkled  with 
sesamum  seeds.  2.  A piece  of  white,  refined  sugar, 
striped.  3.  Five  candied  kernels  of  the  kaJci  [persim- 
mon] tree,  not  unlike  almonds.  4.  A flat  slice  of  cake. 
5.  Two  cakes,  made  of  flour  and  honey,  shaped  like 
a tunnel,  brown,  thick,  and  somewhat  tough.  6.  Two 
slices  of  a dark  reddish  and  brittle  cake,  made  of  bean 
flour  and  sugar.  7.  Two  slices  of  a rice  flour  cake,  yellow 
and  tough.  8.  Two  slices  of  another  cake  or  pie,  of  which 
the  inside  seemed  to  be  of  quite  a different  substance 
from  the  crust.  9.  A large  manju , boiled  and  filled  with 
brown  sugar,  like  treacle.  Two  smaller  manju , of  the 
common  bigness,  dressed  after  the  same  manner.  A 
few  of  these  things  were  eaten,  and  the  rest,  according 
to  the  Japanese  custom,  were  taken  home  by  the  inter- 
preter, for  whom  they  proved  quite  a load,  especially  as 
he  was  old  and  rheumatic.” 

Having  been  dismissed  with  many  ceremonies,  they 
went  next  to  the  house  of  the  acting  governor  of  Yedo, 
who  received  them  with  great  cordiality,  and  gave  them 


104 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


an  entertainment  consisting  of  a cup  of  tea,  boiled  fish 
with  a very  good  sauce,  oysters  boiled  and  brought  in 
the  shells,  with  vinegar,  a dish  which,  it  was  intimated, 
had  been  prepared  from  the  known  fondness  of  the  Dutch 
for  it,  several  small  slices  of  a roasted  goose,  fried  fish 
and  boiled  eggs,  with  very  good  liquor  served  up  between 
the  dishes.  Thence  they  went  to  the  houses  of  the  gover- 
nors of  Nagasaki,  and  returned  home  at  night  thoroughly 
tired  out,  but  well  satisfied  with  their  reception. 

Meanwhile,  the  customary  presents  began  to  come  in, 
which,  in  case  the  director  was  at  home,  were  presented 
and  received  in  quite  a formal  manner,  — a speech  being 
made  by  the  bearer  and  an  answer  returned,  after  which 
he  was  treated  with  tobacco,  tea,  sweetmeats,  and  Dutch 
liquors.  Besides  thirty  gowns  from  the  emperor,  ten 
were  sent  by  each  of  the  five  ordinary  councillors,  six  by 
each  of  the  four  extraordinary  councillors,  five  by  each 
of  the  three  lords  of  the  temple,  and  two,  “pretty  sorry 
ones,”  Kampfer  says,  by  each  of  the  governors  of  Yedo, 
— in  all,  a hundred  and  twenty-three,  of  which  those 
given  by  the  emperor  went  to  the  Company,  and  all 
the  rest  to  the  director,  constituting  no  inconsiderable 
perquisite. 

It  is  the  custom,  on  the  return  of  the  Dutch,  when 
they  reach  Miyako,  to  take  them  to  see  some  of  the 
.'principal  temples.  The  first  one  visited  by  Kampfer  was 
the  Buddhist  temple  and  convent,  where  the  emperor 
lodges  when  he  comes  to  visit  the  Dairi.  The  approach 
to  this  temple  was  a broad,  level,  gravel  walk,  half  a mile 
in  length,  lined  on  both  sides  with  the  stately  dwellings 
of  the  ecclesiastics  attached  to  it.  Having  alighted  and 
passed  a lofty  gateway,  the  visitors  ascended  to  a large 
terrace,  finely  gravelled  and  planted  with  trees  and 


A View  of  Fuji 


TEMPLES  AT  MIYAKO 


105 


slirubs.  Passing  two  handsome  structures,  they  as- 
cended a beautiful  stairway  to  a magnificent  building, 
with  a front  superior  to  that  of  the  imperial  palace  at 
Yedo.  In  the  middle  of  the  outermost  hall  was  a chapel 
containing  a large  idol  with  curled  hair,  surrounded 
with  smaller  idols.  On  both  sides  were  some  smaller 
and  less  elaborate  chapels ; behind  were  two  apartments 
for  the  emperor’s  use,  opening  upon  a small  pleasure- 
garden  at  the  foot  of  a mountain,  clothed  with  a beautiful 
variety  of  trees  and  shrubs.  Behind  this  garden,  and  on 
the  ascent  of  the  mountain,  was  a chapel  dedicated  to  the 
predecessor  of  the  reigning  emperor,  who  had  been 
deified  under  the  name  of  Genyuin. 

“The  visitors  were  next  conducted  across  a square  to 
another  temple,  of  the  size  of  an  ordinary  European 
church,  supported  on  thirty  pillars,  or  rather  fifty-six,  in- 
cluding those  of  the  gallery  which  surrounded  it.  These 
pillars  were,  however,  but  nine  feet  high,  and  of  wood, 
and,  with  the  beams  and  cornices,  were  painted  some 
red,  some  yellow.  The  most  striking  feature  of  this 
building,  which  was  entirely  empty  within,  was  its 
bended  roofs,  four  in  number,  one  over  the  other,  of 
which  the  lowest  and  largest  jutted  over  the  gallery. 
There  were  said  to  be  not  less  than  twenty-seven  temples 
within  the  enclosure  of  this  monastery. 

“Up  the  hill,  near  a quarter  of  a mile  distant,  was  a 
large  bell,  which  Kampfer  describes  as  rather  superior  in 
size  to  the  smaller  of  the  two  great  Moscow  bells  (which 
he  had  seen),  rough,  ill-cast,  and  ill-shaped.  It  was  struck 
on  the  outside  by  a large  wooden  stick.  The  prior  who, 
with  a number  of  the  monks,  received  and  entertained 
the  Dutch  visitors  was  an  old  gentleman,  of  an  agreeable 
countenance  and  good  complexion,  clad  in  a violet  or 


106 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


dark  purple-colored  gown,  with  an  alms  bag  in  his  hand 
richly  embroidered  with  gold. 

“ The  largest  and  most  remarkable  of  the  temples  seen 
at  Miyako  was  that  called  Daibutsu,  on  the  road  to 
Fushimi.  It  was  enclosed  by  a high  wall  of  freestone, 
the  front  blocks  being  near  twelve  feet  square.  A stone 
staircase  of  eight  steps  led  up  to  the  gateway,  on  either 
side  of  which  stood  a gigantic  image,  near  twenty-four 
feet  high,  with  the  face  of  a lion,  but  otherwise  well- 
proportioned,  black,  or  of  a dark  purple,  almost  naked, 
and  placed  on  a pedestal  six  feet  high.  That  on  the  left 
had  the  mouth  open  and  one  of  the  hands  stretched  out. 
The  opposite  one  had  the  mouth  shut  and  the  hand  close 
to  the  body.  They  were  said  to  be  emblems  of  the  two 
first  and  chief  principles  of  nature,  the  active  and  passive, 
the  giving  and  taking,  the  opening  and  shutting,  genera- 
tion and  corruption.  Within  the  gateway  were  sixteen 
stone  pillars  on  each  side  for  lamps,  a water  basin,  etc. ; 
and  on  the  inside  of  the  enclosing  wall  was  a spacious 
walk  or  gallery,  open  towards  the  interior  space,  but 
covered  with  a roof  which  was  supported  by  two  rows 
of  pillars,  about  eighteen  feet  high  and  twelve  feet  distant 
from  each  other. 

“ Directly  opposite  the  entrance,  in  the  middle  of  the 
court,  stood  the  temple,  much  the  loftiest  structure 
which  Iviimpfer  had  seen  in  Japan,  with  a double  roof 
supported  by  ninety-four  immense  wooden  pillars,  of 
at  least  nine  feet  diameter,  some  of  them  of  a single 
piece,  but  others  of  several  trunks  put  together  as  in 
the  case  of  the  masts  of  our  large  ships,  and  all  painted 
red.” 

Within,  the  floor  was  paved  with  square  flags  of  free- 
stone, — a tiling  not  seen  elsewhere.  There  were  many 


THE  KWANNON  TEMPLE 


107 


small,  narrow  doors  running  up  to  the  first  roof,  but  the 
interior,  on  account  of  its  great  height,  the  whole  up  to 
the  second  roof  forming  but  one  room,  was  very  badly 
lighted.  Nothing  was  to  be  seen  within  except  an  im- 
mense idol,  sitting  (not  after  the  Japanese,  but  after  the 
Indian  manner,  with  the  legs  crossed  before  it)  on  a terete 
flower,  supported  by  another  flower,  of  which  the  leaves 
were  turned  upwards,  the  two  being  raised  about  twelve 
feet  from  the  floor.  The  idol,  which  was  gilt  all  over, 
had  long  ears,  curled  hair,  a crown  on  the  head,  which 
appeared  through  the  window  over  the  first  roof,  with  a 
large  spot  not  gilt  on  the  forehead.  The  shoulders, 
so  broad  as  to  reach  from  one  pillar  to  another,  a dis- 
tance of  thirty  feet,  were  naked.  The  breast  and  body 
were  covered  with  a loose  piece  of  draper}'.  It  held 
the  right  hand  up,  the  left  rested  edgewise  on  the 
belly. 

The  Kwannon  temple  was  a structure  very  long  in 
proportion  to  its  breadth.  In  the  midst  was  a gigantic 
image  of  Kwannon,  with  thirty-six  arms.  Sixteen  black 
images,  bigger  than  life,  stood  round  it,  and  on  each  side 
two  rows  of  gilt  idols  with  twenty  arms  each.  On  either 
side  of  the  temple,  running  from  end  to  end,  were  ten 
platforms  rising  like  steps  one  behind  the  other,  on  each 
of  which  stood  fifty  images  of  Kwannon,  as  large  as  life, 
— a thousand  in  all,  each  on  its  separate  pedestal,  so 
arranged  as  to  stand  in  rows  of  five,  one  behind  the 
other,  and  all  visible  at  the  same  time,  each  with  its 
twenty  hands.  On  the  hands  and  heads  of  all  these 
are  placed  smaller  idols,  to  the  number  of  forty  or  more ; 
so  that  the  whole  number,  thirty-three  thousand  three 
hundred  and  thirty-three,  according  to  the  estimate  of 
the  Japanese,  does  not  appear  exaggerated. 


108 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


Klaproth  1 gives  some  curious  details  as  to  these  tem- 
ples, derived  from  a Japanese  Guide  Book,  such  as  is 
sold  to  visitants.  The  dimensions  of  the  temple  and  of 
the  image  of  Daibutsu,  or  the  great  Buddha,  are  given 
with  great  minuteness.  The  body  is  seventy-seven  feet 
five  and  one-fourth  inches  high  (Rhineland  measure), 
and  the  entire  statue  with  the  lotus,  eighty-nine  feet 
eight  and  three-fourths  inches.  The  head  of  the  colossus 
protrudes  through  the  roof  of  the  saloon.2 

At  a little  distance  is  a chapel  called  Mimitsuka,  or 
“ tomb  of  ears,”  in  which  are  buried  the  ears  and  noses 
of  the  Coreans  who  fell  in  the  war  carried  on  against 
them  by  Taiko-Sama,  who  had  them  salted  and  conveyed 
to  Japan.  The  grand  portico  of  the  external  wall  of  the 
temple  is  called  Ni-o-mon,  “gate  of  the  two  kings.”  On 
entering  this  vast  portico,  which  is  eighty-three  and  one- 
half  feet  high,  on  each  side  appears  a colossal  figure 
twenty-two  feet  in  height,  representing  the  two  celestial 
kings,  Aon  and  Jugo,  the  usual  porters  at  the  Buddhist 
temples.  Another  edifice  placed  before  the  apartment 
of  the  great  Buddha,  contains  the  largest  bell  known  in 
the  world.  It  is  seventeen  feet  two  and  one-half  inches 
high,  and  weighs  one  million  seven  hundred  thousand 
Japanese  pounds  (katties),  equal  to  two  million  sixty-six 
thousand  pounds  English.  Its  weight  is  consequently 
five  times  greater  than  the  great  bell  at  Moscow.  If 
this  is  the  same  bell  described  by  Kampfer,  here  is  a 
remarkable  discrepancy. 

1 “ Annals  des  Empereurs  du  Japan,”  p.  405,  note,  and  in  the  " Asiatic 
Journal  ” for  September,  1831. 

2 The  history  of  this  image,  derived  from  the  same  source,  is  given 
in  a note  on  p.  193.  The  roof  of  the  temple  is  supported  on  ninety-two 
columns,  each  upwards  of  six  feet  in  diameter. 


CHAPTER  XXXVIII 


Further  Decline  of  the  Dutch  Trade  — Degradation  of  the  Japanese  Coins 
— The  Dutch  threaten  to  withdraw  from  Japan — Restrictions  on  the 
Chinese  Trade  — Probable  Cause  of  the  Policy  adopted  by  the  Japa- 
nese — Drain  of  the  Precious  Metals  — New  Basis  upon  which  Future 
Trade  must  be  arranged. 


Notwithstanding  the  lamentations  uttered 

by  Kampfer  in  the  name  of  the  Dutch  factors, 
the  trade  to  Japan  had  by  no  means  in  his  time 
reached  its  lowest  level,  and  it  was  subjected  soon  after 
his  departure  to  new  and  more  stringent  limitations. 

In  the  year  1696  appeared  a new  kind  of  koban. 
The  old  koban  was  twenty  carats  eight  and  a half,  and 
even  ten,  grains  fine;  that  is,  supposing  it  divided  into 
twenty-four  parts,  twenty  parts  and  a half  were  fine 
gold.1  The  new  koban  was  thirteen  carats  six  or  seven 
grains  fine,  containing,  consequently,  only  two-thirds 
as  much  gold  as  the  old  one,  and  yet  the  Dutch  were 
required  to  receive  it  at  the  same  rate  of  sixty-eight 
mas  of  silver. 

The  old  koban  had  returned  on  the  coast  of  Coro- 
mandel a profit  of  twenty-five  per  cent,  the  new  pro- 
duced a loss  of  fifteen  or  sixteen  per  cent;  but  some  of 
the  old  koban  being  still  paid  over  at  the  same  rate  as 
the  new,  some  profits  continued  to  be  derived  from  the 


1 In  one  thousand  parts,  eight  hundred  and  fifty-four  were  pure  gold. 
The  pure  metal  in  our  American  coins  is  nine  hundred  parts  in  one 
thousand ; or,  in  the  old  phraseology,  they  are  twenty-one  carats  and 
twelve  grains  fine. 


110 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


gold,  till,  in  1710,  the  Japanese  made  a still  more  seri- 
ous change  in  their  coin,  by  reducing  the  weight  of  the 
koban  nearly  one-half,  from  forty-seven  kanderins  (two 
hundred  and  seventy-four  grains)  to  twenty-five  kan- 
derins (one  hundred  and  forty-six  grains),  which,  as 
the  Dutch  were  still  obliged  to  receive  these  new  koban 
at  the  rate  of  sixty-eight  mas,  caused  a loss  of  from 
thirty-four  to  thirty-six  per  cent.  From  this  time  the 
old  koban  passed  as  double  koban,  being  reckoned  at 
twice  their  former  weight.  The  koban  of  the  coinage 
of  1730  were  about  five  per  cent  better  than  the  preced- 
ing ones;  but  the  Dutch  trade  continued  rapidly  to 
decline,  especially  after  the  exportation  of  copper  was 
limited,  in  1714,  to  fifteen  thousand  chests,  or  piculs, 
and,  in  1721,  to  ten  thousand  piculs  annually.  From 
this  time,  two  ships  sufficed  for  the  Dutch  trade. 

For  thirty  years  previous  to  1743,  the  annual  gross 
profits  on  the  Japanese  trade  had  amounted  to  five  hun- 
dred thousand  florins  (two  hundred  thousand  dollars), 
and  some  years  to  six  hundred  thousand  (two  hundred 
and  forty  thousand  dollars);  but  in  1743  they  sunk 
below  two  hundred  thousand  florins  (eighty  thousand 
dollars),  which  was  the  annual  cost  of  maintaining  the 
establishment  at  Deshima. 

Upon  this  occasion,  a “Memoir  on  the  Trade  of 
Japan,  and  the  Causes  of  its  Decline,”  was  drawn  up 
by  Imhoff,  at  that  time  governor-general  at  Batavia, 
which  affords  information  on  the  change  in  the  value 
of  the  koban,  and  other  matters  relating  to  the  Dutch 
trade  to  Japan,  not  elsewhere  to  be  found.1  It  is 

1 Having  been  discovered  by  Sir  Stamford  'Raffles  among  the  public 
documents  at  Batavia,  lie  published  an  abstract  of  it  in  the  appen- 
dix B to  bis  “ History  of  Java.” 


DRAIN  OF  THE  PRECIOUS  METALS 


111 


apparent  from  his  memoir  that  the  trade  was  not  managed 
with  the  sagacity  which  might  have  been  expected  from 
private  merchants.  The  cargoes  were  ill  assorted,  and 
did  not  correspond  to  the  requisitions  of  the  Japanese. 
They,  on  the  other  hand,  had  repeatedly  offered  several 
new  articles  of  export,  which  the  Company  had  declined, 
because,  in  the  old  routine  of  their  trade,  no  profitable 
market  appeared  for  these  articles  at  the  prices  asked 
for  them. 

The  Dutch  attempted  to  frighten  the  Japanese  by 
threatening  to  close  their  factory  altogether,  but  this 
did  not  produce  much  effect,  and,  since  the  date  of 
Imhoff’s  memoir,  the  factory  appears  not  to  have  done 
much  more  than  to  pay  its  expenses.  That  the  Jap- 
anese were  not  veiy  anxious  for  foreign  trade,  appears 
by  their  having  restricted  the  Chinese,  previous  to  1740, 
to  twenty  junks  annually,  and  at  a subsequent  period  to 
ten  junks. 

The  Dutch  imagined  that  the  above-mentioned  changes 
in  the  coins  of  Japan  were  made  solely  with  a view  to 
their  trade  and  to  curtail  their  profits.  Raffles  suggests, 
on  the  other  hand,  that  this  degradation  of  the  Japanese 
coins  was  the  natural  result  of  the  immense  export  of 
the  precious  metals,  which,  in  the  course  of  the  two 
hundred  years  from  1540  to  1740,  must  have  drained 
Japan  of  specie  to  the  value  of  perhaps  not  less  than 
two  hundred  millions  of  dollars.  The  exports  of  foreign 
nations,  as  we  have  seen,  were  almost  entirely  metallic, 
and  the  mines  of  Japan  were  by  no  means  so  productive 
as  to  be  able  to  withstand  this  constant  drain.  The 
export  of  silver  was  first  stopped.  Then  gold  was 
raised  to  such  a value  as  effectually  to  stop  the  expor- 
tation of  that,  and  restrictions  were,  at  the  same  time, 


112 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


put  upon  the  exportation  of  copper.  This  sagacious 
conjecture  of  Raffles  is  confirmed  by  a tract  on  the 
Origin  of  the  Riches  of  Japan,  written,  in  1708,  by 
Arai  Chikugo-no-Ivami  [Arai  Hakuseki],  a person  of 
high  distinction  at  the  emperor’s  court,  of  which  the 
original  was  brought  to  Europe  by  Titsingli,  and  of 
which  Klaproth  has  given  a translation,  in  the  second 
volume  of  the  “Nouveau  Journal  Asiatique.”  The 
author  of  this  tract  states,  perhaps  from  official  docu- 
ments, the  amount  of  gold  and  silver  exported  from 
Nagasaki,  from  1611  to  1706,  as  follows:  Gold, 

6,192,600  kohan;  silver,  112,268,700  taels.  Of  this 
amount,  2,397,600  kohan  and  37,420,900  taels  of  silver 
had  been  exported  since  1646.  The  exports  of  copper 
from  1663  to  1708  are  stated  at  1,114,446,700  katties. 

This  export  is  represented  as  having  commenced  in 
the  time  of  Nobunaga,1  when  the  mines  of  Japan  had 
first  begun  to  be  largely  productive,  and,  previous  to 
1611,  to  have  been  much  greater  than  afterwards,  which 
is  ascribed  by  this  author  in  part  to  the  amounts  sent 
out  of  the  country,  by  the  Catholic  natives,  to  purchase 
masses  for  their  souls.  Much  alarm  is  expressed  lest, 
with  the  decreased  product  of  the  mines,  and  continual 
exportation,  Japan  should  be  reduced  to  poverty.  Tit- 
si  ngh  ascribes  the  origin  of  this  tract  to  the  extrava- 
gance  of  the  reigning  emperor,  which  it  was  desired 

1 Vet  Pinto,  whose  knowledge  of  Japan  preceded  the  time  of  Nobun- 
aga,  represents  silver  as  very  abundant  there ; and,  indeed,  it  seems  to 
have  been  this  abundance  which  first  attracted  t lie  Portuguese  trade. 
On  the  whole,  one  does  not  derive  a very  high  idea,  from  this  tract, 
of  the  extent  or  correctness  of  the  knowledge  possessed  by  the  Japa- 
nese of  their  own  history,  even  the  more  recent  periods  of  it. 

[See  Dr.  Knox’s  paper  on  Arai  Hakuseki  in  vol.  xxx  of  the  “Trans- 
actions of  the  Asiatic  Society  of  Japan.”  — Edr.J 


View  of  IIakoxe  ; Lake  Biw 


TITSINGH’S  VIEWS 


113 


to  check  by  good  advice;  but  the  exportation  of  the 
precious  metals  by  foreigners  is  evidently  the  point 
aimed  at. 

“There  goes  out  of  the  empire  annually,”  says  this 
writer,  “about  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  koban, 
or  a million  and  a half  in  ten  years.  It  is,  therefore, 
of  the  highest  importance  to  the  public  prosperity  to 
put  a stop  to  these  exportations,  which  will  end  in 
draining  us  entirely.  Nothing  is  thought  of  but  the 
procuring  foreign  productions,  expensive  stuffs,  elegant 
utensils,  and  other  things  not  known  in  the  good  old 
times.  Since  Gongen,  gold,  silver,  and  copper  have 
been  abundantly  produced;  unfortunately  the  greater 
part  of  this  wealth  has  gone  for  things  we  could  have 
done  quite  as  well  without.  The  successors  of  Gongen 
ought  to  reflect  upon  this,  in  order  that  the  wealth  of 
the  empire  may  be  as  lasting  as  the  heavens  and  the 
earth.”  Ideas  like  those  broached  in  this  tract  seem  to 
be  the  basis  of  the  existing  policy  of  Japan  on  the  sub- 
ject of  foreign  trade;  and,  independently  of  this,  the 
failure  of  the  Japanese  mines  renders  any  return  to  the 
old  system  of  the  Portuguese  and  Dutch  traffic  quite 
out  of  the  question.  Japan  has  no  longer  gold  and  sil- 
ver to  export,  and  if  a new  trade  is  to  be  established  with 
her,  it  must  be  on  an  entirely  new  basis,  the  exports  to 
consist  of  something  else  than  metallic  products. 


VOL.  II. 8 


CHAPTER  XXXIX 


Thunberg’s  Visit  to  Japan  — Searches  and  Examinations  — Smuggling  — 
Interpreters  — Deshima  — Imports  and  Exports — Unicorn’s  Horn  and 
Ginseng — Soy — The  Dutch  at  Deshima — Japanese  Mistresses  — 
Japanese  Women  — Studying  the  Language — Botanizing — Clocks 
— New  Year’s  Day  — Trampling  on  Images  — Departure  for  Yedo 
— Journey  through  the  Island  of  Shi  mo  — Japanese  Houses  and  Fur- 
niture — Manufacture  of  Paper  — Practice  of  Bathing  — Shimonoseki 
— Voyage  to  Osaka  — Children  — From  Osaka  to  Miyako  — Agricul- 
ture — Animals  — A.  D.  1775-1776. 

FROM  the  time  of  Kampfer’s  departure  from 
Deshima,  of  all  the  Dutch  residents  and  visitors 
there,  none,  for  a period  of  upwards  of  eighty 
years,  favored  the  world  with  their  observations.  They 
went  to  Japan  in  pursuit  of  money,  not  to  obtain  knowl- 
edge, either  for  themselves  or  others. 

At  length,  in  1775,  Charles  Peter  Thunberg,  a 
Swedish  physician,  naturalist,  and  traveller,  to  gain  an 
opportunity  of  seeing  Japan,  obtained  the  same  official 
situation  which  Kampfer  had  held  before  him.  Being 
an  enthusiastic  botanist,  he  was  sent  to  the  East  by 
some  wealthy  merchants  of  Amsterdam  to  obtain  new 
trees  and  plants,  as  well  for  the  medical  garden  of  that 
city  as  for  their  own  private  collections.  Circumstances 
caused  him  to  spend  three  years  at  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope,  whence  he  proceeded  to  Batavia.  He  left  that 
port  June  20,  1775,  and  arrived  off  Nagasaki  the  14th 
of  the  following  August.  From  an  experience  of  more 
than  a hundred  years,  the  Company  reckoned  on  the 


THUNBERG’S  VISIT 


115 


loss  of  one  out  of  every  five  ships  sent  to  Japan,  though 
care  was  taken  to  select  the  best  and  strongest  vessels.1 

The  searches  and  examinations  previous  to  landing 
were  the  same  described  by  Kampfer.  Hitherto  it  had 
been  usual  to  allow  the  captains  of  the  vessels  to  pass  at 
pleasure  to  and  from  their  ships  without  being  searched ; 
they,  with  the  directors  of  the  Dutch  factory,  being  the 
only  persons  exempt  from  that  ceremony.  The  captains 
had  taken  advantage  of  this  exemption  to  dress  them- 
selves out,  for  the  convenience  of  smuggling,  in  a 
showy,  blue  silk,  silver-laced  coat,  made  very  wide  and 
large,  in  which  dress  they  generally  made  three  trips  a 
day  to  and  from  Deshima,  being  often  so  loaded  down 
with  goods  that  they  had  to  be  supported  by  a sailor 
under  each  arm.  Thunberg’s  captain  rigged  himself 
out  in  the  same  style ; but,  much  to  his  disappointment 
and  that  of  the  other  Dutchmen,  whose  private  goods 
the  captains  had  been  accustomed  to  smuggle  for  a 
commission,  the  Japanese  officers  who  boarded  the  ship 
brought  orders  that  the  captain  should  dress  like  the 
rest;  that  he  and  the  director  also  should  be  searched 
when  they  landed,  and  that  the  captain  should  either 
stop  on  board,  or,  if  he  landed,  should  remain  on  shore, 
being  allowed  to  visit  the  ship  only  twice  during  her 
stay.  “It  was  droll  enough,”  says  Thunberg,  “to  see 
the  astonishment  which  the  sudden  reduction  in  the 
size  of  our  bulky  captain  excited  in  the  major  part  of 
the  ignorant  Japanese,  who  before  had  always  imagined 
that  all  our  captains  were  actually  as  fat  and  lusty  as 
they  appeared  to  be.” 

1 This  was  a considerable  improvement  upon  the  state  of  things  in 
the  time  of  Xavier,  when  every  third  vessel  was  expected  to  be  lost. 
See  p.  51. 


116 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


In  the  year  1772,  one  of  the  Dutch  ships  from  Bata- 
via, disabled  in  a violent  storm,  had  been  abandoned 
by  her  crew,  who,  in  their  haste,  or  believing  that  she 
would  speedily  sink,  had  neglected  the  standing  order 
of  the  Company,  in  such  cases,  to  set  her  on  fire.  Some 
days  after  she  drifted  to  the  Japanese  shore,  and  was 
towed  into  the  harbor  of  Nagasaki,  when  the  Japanese 
found  on  board  a number  of  chests  marked  with  the 
names  of  the  principal  Dutch  officers,  and  full  of  pro- 
hibited goods,  — and  it  was  to  this  discovery  that  the 
new  order  was  ascribed. 

The  examination  of  the  clothes  and  persons  of  all 
who  passed  to  and  from  the  ship  was  very  strict.  The 
large  chests  were  emptied,  and  the  sides,  top,  and  bottom 
sounded  to  see  if  they  were  not  hollow.  Beds  were 
ripped  open  and  the  feathers  turned  over.  Iron  spikes 
were  thrust  into  the  butter-tubs  and  jars  of  sweet- 
meats. A square  hole  was  cut  in  the  cheeses,  and  a 
thick,  pointed  wire  thrust  through  them  in  every  direc- 
tion. Even  some  of  the  eggs  brought  from  Batavia  were 
broken,  lest  they  might  be  shams  in  which  valuables 
were  concealed. 

Formerly,  according  to  Thunberg,  the  Dutch  took 
the  liberty  to  correct  with  blows  the  Japanese  hurt  em- 
ployed as  laborers  on  board  the  ships;  but  in  his  time 
this  was  absolutely  prohibited.  lie  adds,  that  the 
respect  of  the  Japanese  for  the  Dutch  was  a good  deal 
diminished  by  observing  “in  how  unfriendly  and  un- 
mannerly a style  they  usually  behave  to  each  other, 
and  the  brutal  treatment  which  the  sailors  under  their 
command  frequently  experience  from  them,  together 
with  the  oaths,  curses,  and  blows  with  which  the  poor 
fellows  are  assailed  by  them.” 


THE  DUTCH  AT  DESHIMA 


117 


The  interpreters  would  seem  to  have  adopted,  since 
the  time  of  Kampfer  (as  he  makes  no  mention  of  it),  the 
practice  of  medicine  among  their  countrymen  after 
the  European  manner.  This  made  them  very  inquisi- 
tive as  to  matters  of  physic  and  natural  history,  and 
very  anxious  to  obtain  European  hooks,  which  they 
studied  diligently.  Kampfer  speaks  of  the  interpreters 
with  great  indignation  as  the  most  watchful  and  hateful 
of  spies.  Thunberg  appears  to  have  established  very 
good  terms  with  them.  New  restrictions,  however,  had 
been  placed  on  their  intercourse  with  the  resident 
Dutchmen,  whom,  to  prevent  smuggling,  they  were  not 
allowed  to  visit,  except  in  company  with  one  or  two 
other  officers. 

Deshima,  from  Thunberg \s  description  of  it,  appears 
to  have  altered  very  little  since  Kampfer’s  residence 
there,  though  glass  windows  had  lately  been  brought 
from  Batavia,  by  some  of  the  Dutch  residents,  as  a 
substitute  for  the  paper  windows  of  the  Japanese. 

The  permanent  residents  were  now  twelve  or  thirteen 
(there  had  been  but  seven  in  Kampfer’s  time),  besides 
slaves  brought  from  Batavia,  of  whom  each  Dutchman 
had  one. 

The  goods  sent  out  by  the  Company  at  the  time  of 
Thunberg’s  visit  were  sugars  (almost  the  only  article 
of  consumption  which  the  Japanese  do  not  produce  for 
themselves),  elephants’  teeth,  sappan-wood  for  dyeing, 
tin,  lead,  bar-iron,  fine  chintzes  of  various  sorts,  Dutch 
broadcloths,  shalloons,  silks,  cloves,  tortoise-shell,  China- 
root,  and  Costus  Arabicus.  The  goods  of  private  adven- 
turers were  saffron,  Venice  treacle,  Spanish  liquorice, 
rattans,  spectacles,  looking-glasses,  watches,  Ninjin-root 
or  ginseng,  and  unicorns’  horns.  This  latter  article, 


118 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


the  horn  of  the  Monodon  monoceros,  a product  of  the 
Greenland  fishery,  had  been  lately  introduced.  The 
Japanese  ascribed  to  it  wonderful  virtues  as  a medicine, 
believing  it  to  have  the  power  to  prolong  life,  strengthen 
the  animal  spirits,  assist  the  memory,  and  cure  all  sorts 
of  complaints.  Thunberg  had  carried  out  as  his  venture 
thirty-seven  katties  (about  fifty  pounds)  of  this  horn, 
which  sold  for  five  thousand  and  seventy-one  taels,  or 
upwards  of  six  thousand  dollars;  so  that,  after  paying 
the  advances  made  to  him  at  Batavia,  he  had  a hand- 
some surplus  to  expend  in  his  favorite  pursuit  of  natural 
history. 

The  genuine  Chinese  ginseng  ( Panax  quinquefolium) 
sold  at  a price  full  as  high  as  that  of  unicorn’s  horn. 
The  American  article,  being  regarded  as  not  genuine, 
was  strictly  prohibited,  but  was  smuggled  in  to  mix 
with  the  Chinese.1 

Scientific  works  in  the  Dutch  language,  though  not 
a regular  article  of  sale,  might  be  often  exchanged  to 
advantage  with  the  interpreters. 

The  Company  imported  a quantity  of  silver  coin,  but 
private  persons  were  not  allowed  to  do  so,  though  a 
profit  might  have  been  made  on  it.  The  sale  by  kamban 
continued  exactly  as  Kiimpfer  had  described  it.  No 
Japanese  money  came  into  the  hands  either  of  the  Com- 
pany or  of  individuals  from  the  sale  of  their  goods  by 

1 Kiimpfer  had  seen  the  ginseng  cultivated  in  gardens  in  Japan,  but 
it  was  not  supposed  to  possess  the  virtues  of  the  Chinese  article. 
Father  Jontoux,  one  of  the  Jesuit  missionaries  in  China,  employed  by 
the  emperor  in  preparing  a map  of  the  region  north  of  the  great  wall, 
had  an  opportunity  to  see  the  ginseng  growing  wild.  He  sent  home,  in 
1711,  a full  account  of  it,  with  drawings  (which  may  be  found  in  “ Voy. 
ages  au  Nord,”  vol.  iv),  and  suggested,  from  the  similarity  of  the 
climate,  that  the  same  plant  might  be  found  in  Canada,  as  it  soon  was 
by  the  Jesuit  missionaries  there. 


IMPORTS  AND  EXPORTS 


119 


kamban.  They  only  acquired  a credit,  which  they  were 
able  to  exchange  for  Japanese  articles. 

The  chief  articles  of  export  were  copper,  camphor, 
and  lackered  goods;  porcelain,  rice,  sake,  soy,1  were 
also  exported.  The  profits  of  this  trade  had  been 
greatly  curtailed.  “ Formerly,”  says  Thunberg,  “it  was 
so  very  profitable  to  individuals  that  hardly  anybody 
but  favorites  were  sent  out  as  chiefs,  and  when  these 
had  made  two  voyages,  it  was  supposed  that  they  were 
rich  enough  to  be  able  to  live  on  the  interest  of  their 
fortunes,  and  that,  therefore,  they  ought  to  make  room 
for  others.  At  present  a chief  is  obliged  to  make  many 
voyages.  His  success  is  now  no  more  to  be  envied,  and 
his  profits  are  thought  to  be  very  inconsiderable.” 

Of  the  general  enjoyment  of  a residence  at  Deshima 
Thunberg  does  not  speak  very  highly.  “ An  European 
that  remains  here  is,  in  a manner,  dead  and  buried  in 
an  obscure  corner  of  the  globe.  He  hears  no  news  of 
any  kind ; nothing  relative  to  war  or  other  misfortunes 
and  evils  that  plague  and  infest  mankind;  and  neither 
the  rumors  of  inland  or  foreign  concerns  delight  or 

1 This  sauce,  used  in  great  quantities  in  Japan,  and  exported  to 
Batavia  by  the  Dutch,  whence  it  has  become  known  throughout  the 
East  Indies  and  also  in  Europe,  is  made  from  the  soy  bean  (Dolichos 
Soia),  extensively  used  by  the  Japanese  in  the  making  of  soup.  The 
soy  is  prepared  as  follows  : the  beans  are  boiled  till  they  become  rather 
soft,  when  an  equal  quantity  of  pounded  barley  or  wheat  is  added. 
These  ingredients  being  mixed,  the  compound  is  set  away  for  twenty- 
four  hours  in  a warm  place  to  ferment.  An  equal  quantity  of  salt  is 
then  added,  and  twice  and  a half  as  much  water.  It  is  stirred  sev. 
eral  times  a day  for  several  days,  and  then  stands  well  covered  for  two 
or  three  months,  when  the  liquid  portion  is  decanted,  strained,  and 
put  in  wooden  casks.  It  is  of  a brown  color,  improves  with  age,  but 
varies  in  quality,  according  to  the  province  where  it  is  made.  The 
Dutch  of  Deshima  cork  up  the  better  qualities  in  glass  bottles,  boiling 
the  liquor  first  in  an  iron  kettle,  to  prevent  fermentation,  by  which  it  is 
liable  to  be  spoiled. 


120 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


molest  his  ear.  The  soul  possesses  here  one  faculty 
only,  which  is  the  judgment  (if,  indeed,  it  be  at  all 
times  in  possession  of  that).  The  will  is  totally  debili- 
tated, and  even  dead,  because,  to  an  European  there  is 
no  other  will  than  that  of  the  Japanese,  by  which  he 
must  exactl}’  square  his  conduct. 

“The  European  way  of  living  is,  in  other  respects, 
the  same  as  in  other  parts  of  India,  luxurious  and  irreg- 
ular. Hence,  just  as  at  Batavia,  we  pay  a visit  every 
evening  to  the  chief,  after  having  walked  several  times 
up  and  down  the  two  streets.  These  evening  visits 
generally  last  from  six  o’clock  till  ten,  and  sometimes 
eleven  or  twelve  at  night,  and  constitute  a very  dis- 
agreeable way  of  life,  fit  only  for  such  as  have  no  other 
way  of  spending  their  time  than  droning  over  a pipe  of 
tobacco  and  a bottle.” 

The  Europeans  remaining  at  Deshima  had  each  two 
or  three  handsome  rooms,  besides  the  store-rooms  in  the 
lower  story.  These  they  occupied  without  rent,  the  only 
expense  being  that  of  furnishing  them.  As  the  winter 
set  in,  the  cold,  with  an  easterly  or  northerly  wind,  was 
quite  piercing,  and  they  had  fires  of  charcoal  in  a large 
copper  kettle  with  a broad  rim.  Placed  in  the  middle 
of  the  room  it  warmed  the  whole  apartment  for  hours 
too'ether.  The  looseness  of  the  doors  and  windows 

O 

prevented  any  ill  consequences  from  the  gases.  As  the 
residents  all  dined  and  supped  at  a common  table,  kept 
at  the  Company’s  expense,  their  outlays  did  not  amount 
to  much  — “except,”  says  Thunberg,  “they  squander 
away  their  money  on  the  fair  sex,  or  make  expensive 
entertainments  and  give  suppers  to  each  other.” 

The  account  which  Thunberg  gives  of  the  Japanese 
mistresses  of  the  Dutch  is  very  much  the  same  with 


MISTRESSES  OF  THE  DUTCH 


121 


that  given  by  Kampfer.  These  women,  when  spoken 
for  to  an  officer  appointed  for  that  purpose,  come  at- 
tended by  a little  serving-maid,  — one  of  the  young- 
apprentices  of  the  houses  to  which  they  belonged,  — 
who  brought  daily  from  the  town  her  mistress’  food, 
made  her  tea,  kept  her  tilings  in  order,  and  ran  on 
errands.  One  of  these  female  companions  could  not  be 
had  for  less  than  three  days,  but  might  be  kept  a year, 
or  even  several  years.  The  price  was  eight  mas,  or  one 
dollar  a day,  besides  her  maintenance  and  presents  of 
silk  dresses,  girdles,  head-ornaments,  etc.  According 
to  Thunberg,  children  were  very  seldom  born  of  these 
connections.  He  was  assured,  but  did  not  credit  it, 
that  if  such  a thing  happened,  the  child,  if  a boy,  would 
be  murdered;  and  that,  if  a girl,  it  would  be  sent  at 
fifteen  to  Batavia;  but  of  this  he  knew  of  no  instance. 
There  was,  in  his  time,  one  girl  about  six  years  old, 
born  of  a Japanese  mother,  living  on  the  island  with 
her  father.  Later  accounts  go  to  show  that  Dutch- 
Japanese  children  are  by  no  means  such  rarities  as 
Thunberg  represents.1 

The  women  painted  their  lips  with  colors,  made  of 
the  Catharinus  tinctorius,  or  bastard  saffron,  rubbed  on 
little  porcelain  bowls.  If  laid  on  very  thin,  the  lips 
appeared  red;  if  thick,  it  gave  them  a violet  hue, 
esteemed  by  the  Japanese  as  the  more  beautiful.  The 
married  women  were  distinguished  by  blacking  their 

1 The  murdering  of  the  children  may  be  explained  by  the  following 
passage  from  one  of  the  letters  of  Cocks,  the  English  factor,  written  at 
Ilirado,  in  December,  1614 : “ James  Turner,  the  fiddling  youth,  left  a 
wench  with  child  here,  but  the  w — e,  the  mother,  killed  it  so  soon  as 
it  was  born,  although  I gave  her  two  taels  in  plate  (silver)  before  to 
nourish  it,  because  she  should  not  kill  it,  it  being  an  ordinary  thing 
here.” 


122 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


teeth  with  a foetid  mixture,  so  corrosive  that  the  lips 
had  to  be  protected  from  it  while  it  was  laid  on.  It  ate 
so  deeply  into  the  teeth  that  it  took  several  days  and 
much  trouble  to  scrape  it  away.  “ To  me  at  least,”  says 
Thunberg,  “a  wide  mouth  with  black  shining  teeth  had 
an  ugly  and  disagreeable  appearance.”  The  married 
women  distinguished  themselves  also  by  pulling  out  their 
eyebrows ; and  another  distinction  was  that  they  knotted 
their  girdles  before,  and  the  single  women  behind. 

Thunberg  noticed  that  venereal  diseases,  which  he 
ascribed  to  European  intercourse,  were  very  common,1 
and  he  congratulated  himself  on  the  questionable  service 
of  having  introduced  the  mercurial  treatment. 

As  he  had  plenty  of  leisure  and  little  taste  for  the 
Dutch  fashion  of  killing  time,  he  endeavored  to  find 
more  rational  and  profitable  employment.  The  resi- 
dents were  still  allowed  native  servants,  who,  though 
not  interpreters,  had  learned  to  speak  the  Dutch  lan- 
guage. But  the  Dutch  were  strictly  prohibited  from 
learning  the  Japanese;  and  though  the  interpreters  were 
sufficiently  well  inclined,  Thunberg  encountered  many 
difficulties  in  his  study  of  that  language.  It  was  only 
after  many  inquiries  that  he  found  at  last  an  old  dic- 
tionary, in  the  Latin,  Portuguese,  and  Japanese,  in 
quarto,  containing  nine  hundred  and  six  pages.  The 
title-page  was  gone,  but  the  book  purported  to  have 
been  compiled  by  the  joint  labors  of  the  Jesuits  at 
Japan,  as  well  European  as  natives.  It  belonged  to 
one  of  the  interpreters,  who  possessed  it  as  legacy  from 
his  ancestors,  and  he  refused  to  sell  it  for  any  price.2 

1 Cocks  also  had  noticed  their  existence  a century  and  a half  earlier. 

2 This  was  doubtless  the  lexicon  printed  at  Amakusa  in  1595.  See 
note,  p.  158. 


BURYING-GROUNDS 


123 


Afterwards,  at  Yedo,  lie  saw  a book  in  long  quarto, 
about  an  inch  thick,  printed  on  Japanese  paper,  entirely 
in  Japanese  characters,  except  the  title-page,  which  bore 
the  imprint  of  the  Jesuits,  with  the  date,  Nagasaki, 
A.  d.  1598. 

“ Through  incapacity  in  some  and  indolence  in  others,” 
the  Dutch  possessed  no  vocabulary  of  the  Japanese,  and 
all  the  knowledge  the  Dutch  residents  had  of  it  did 
not  go  beyond  calling  by  name  a few  familiar  articles. 
Thunberg  has  annexed  to  his  Travels  a short  Japanese 
vocabulary,  but  he  does  not  appear  to  have  made  any 
great  progress  in  the  language. 

With  much  difficulty  he  obtained,  about  the  begin- 
ning of  February,  leave  to  botanize.1  Every  excursion 
cost  him  sixteen  or  eighteen  taels,  as  he  was  obliged  to 
feast  from  twenty  to  thirty  Japanese  officials,  by  whom 
he  was  always  attended.  On  the  neighboring  hills  he 
noticed  many  burying-grounds,  containing  tombstones 
of  various  forms,  sometimes  rough,  but  more  frequently 
hewn,  with  letters,  sometimes  gilt,  engraved  upon  them. 
Before  these  stones  were  placed  vessels,  made  of  large 
bamboos,  containing  water,  with  branches  of  flowers. 

He  also  noticed,  both  around  Nagasaki  and  afterwards 
on  his  journey  to  Yedo,  the  pits,  or  rather  large  earthen 
jars,  sunk  by  the  road-side  for  the  collection  of  manure, 
both  liquid  and  solid.  To  the  foetid  exhalations  from 
these  open  pits,  and  to  the  burning  of  charcoal  without 
chimneys,  he  ascribed  the  red  and  inflamed  eyes  very 

1 A precedent  of  a similar  permission,  formerly  granted  to  the  med- 
ical men  of  the  factory,  was  found,  but,  upon  a critical  examination  of 
Thunberg’s  commission,  he  appeared  to  be  a surgeon,  whereas  he  to 
whom  permission  had  formerly  been  granted  had  been  surgeon’s  mate, 
and  it  took  three  months  to  get  over  this  difficulty,  and  to  persuade 
the  Japanese  that  these  two  officers  were  in  substance  the  same. 


124 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


common  in  Japan.  In  the  gardens  he  saw  growing  the 
common  red  beet,  the  carrot,  fennel,  dill,  anise,  parsley, 
and  asparagus;  leeks,  onions,  turnips,  radishes,  lettuce, 
succory,  and  endive.  Long  ranges  of  sloping  ground, 
at  the  foot  of  the  mountains,  were  planted  with  the 
sweet  potato.  Attempts  were  also  made  to  cultivate 
the  common  potato,  hut  with  little  success.  Several 
kinds  of  yams  ( Dioscorece ) grew  wild  in  the  vicinity  of 
Nagasaki,  of  which  one  species  was  used  for  food,  and, 
when  boiled,  had  a very  agreeable  taste.1  Buckwheat, 
Windsor  beans  ( Vida  f aba ),  several  species  of  French 
beans  ( Phascolus ),  and  peas  ( Pisun  sativum ),  were  com- 
monly cultivated;  also,  two  kinds  of  cayenne  pepper 
(Capsicum),  introduced  probably  by  the  Portuguese. 
Tobacco  was  also  raised,  for  the  use  and  the  name  of 
which  the  Japanese  were  indebted  to  the  Portuguese, 
lie  observed  also  hemp,  the  Acorus,  strongly  aromatic; 
a kind  of  ginger  (Amomum  mioga);  the  Mentha  pipe- 
rita ; the  Alcea  rosea  and  Malva  Mauritiana,  cultivated 
for  their  flowers;  the  Celastrus  alatus,  a branch  of 
which,  stuck  at  a young  lady’s  door,  is  thought  by  the 
Japanese  to  have  the  power  of  making  her  fall  in  love 
with  you;  the  common  juniper-tree;  the  bamboo  and 
the  box,  also  the  ivy;  the  China-root  (S  mil  ax  China)-, 
wild  figs,  with  small  fruit  like  plums  ( Fiscus  pumila 
and  erecta) ; the  pepper  bush  ( Figara  peperita) ; a 
species  of  madder  (Pubia  cordata),  and  several  species 
of  the  Pologonum , used  for  dyeing.  Also,  two  species 
of  nettles,  the  bark  of  which  furnished  cordage  and 
thread,  and  the  seeds  of  one  species  an  oil.  The  yellow 
flowers  of  the  colewort  ( Brassica  orientalis),  which  was 

1 This  species,  the  Dioscorea  Japonica  (confounded  sometimes  with 
the  sweet  potato),  has  been  lately  introduced  into  the  United  States. 


VEGETABLE  PRODUCTIONS 


125 


largely  cultivated  for  the  oil  afforded  by  its  seeds,  pre- 
sented through  the  spring  a beautiful  appearance.  This 
oil  was  used  for  lamps.  Oil  for  food,  used,  however, 
but  sparingly,  was  expressed  from  the  Sesamum  orien- 
tals and  the  mustard  seed.  Solid  oils,  for  candles,  were 
obtained  from  the  nuts  of  the  varnish-tree  (fihus  remix'), 
and  from  those  of  the  films  succedanea,  the  camphor- 
tree,  the  Melea  azedarach,  and  the  Camellia  sasankiva.1 

In  striking  fire  a tinder  is  used  made  of  the  woolly 
part  of  the  leaves  of  the  common  wormwood.  The 

1 Kampfer  who  describes  the  Camellia  under  the  Japanese  name  of 
Tsubaki,  speaks  of  it  as  a large  shrub,  almost  a tree.  Thunberg  repre- 
sents it  as  attaining  the  size  of  a large  tree,  exceedingly  common  in 
groves  and  gardens,  and  a very  great  favorite,  as  well  for  its  polished, 
evergreen  leaves  as  from  the  size,  beauty,  and  variety  of  its  blossoms, 
which  appear  from  April  to  October,  single  and  red  in  the  wild  ones, 
but  double  and  of  several  colors,  red,  purple,  white,  etc.,  in  the  culti- 
vated varieties,  of  which  the  Japanese  assured  Kampfer  there  were 
several  hundreds.  Siebold  describes  the  wild  kind  as  a small  tree, 
growing  in  clumps  and  thickets,  often  with  many  shoots  from  the 
same  root,  from  fifteen  to  twenty  feet  high ; while  a much  larger 
size  is  attained  by  the  cultivated  kinds.  The  name  of  Camellia  was 
given  to  the  genus  by  Linnams,  in  honor  of  George  Joseph  Kamel, 
a Jesuit  missionary,  who  sent  to  Ray  descriptions  of  the  plants  of 
the  Philippine  Islands,  published  by  him  at  the  end  of  his  “ History 
of  Plants.”  The  single-flowering  variety  was  introduced  into  England, 
about  1739,  by  Lord  Petre  probably  from  China,  of  which  it  is  a 
native,  in  common  with  quite  a number  of  plants,  to  which  the  spe- 
cific epithet  Japanese  has  been  applied.  As  late  as  1788  (as  appears 
from  Curtis'  “ Botanical  Magazine,”  vol.  i)  it  was  very  rare  and  costly. 
Down  to  that  time  it  had  been  treated  as  a stove-plant,  but  soon  after, 
on  Curtis’  suggestion,  it  was  introduced  into  conservatories,  of  which  it 
soon  became  the  pride,  and  was  even  found  hardy  enough  to  bear  the 
winter  in  the  open  air.  Previous  to  1806  a number  of  varieties  were 
imported  from  China ; many  others  were  produced  in  Europe,  and 
already  by  1825  these  varieties  had  become  very  numerous  (see 
“Botanical  Magazine,”  vols.  xl  and  lvi).  The  Camellia  sasankwa  is 
smaller,  with  smaller  leaves  and  flowers,  very  closely  resembling  the 
tea-plant ; and,  in  packing  their  teas,  the  Chinese  are  in  the  habit  of 
putting  some  of  the  blossoms  into  the  chests.  It  is  extensively  culti- 
vated for  its  oil,  in  China  as  well  as  in  Japan. 


126 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


famous  moxa  [ mognsa ],  spoken  of  hereafter,  is  a finer 
preparation  of  the  same  root.  Instead  of  soap  the  meal 
of  a species  of  bean  is  employed. 

The  bark  of  the  Shikimi,  or  anise-tree  (a  near  relation 
of  the  mangolia  tribe,  and  whose  flowers  and  leaves  are 
much  employed  in  religious  ceremonies),  is  used  as  a 
time-measurer.  A box  a foot  long  is  filled  with  ashes, 
in  which  are  marked  furrows,  in  parallel  lines,  strewed 
with  fine  powder  of  this  bark.  The  lid  being  closed, 
with  only  a small  hole  left  to  supply  air,  the  powder  is 
set  on  fire  at  one  end,  and  consumed  very  slowty,  and 
the  hours,  marked  beforehand  on  these  furrows,  are 
proclaimed  in  the  daytime  by  striking  the  bells  in  the 
temples,  and  in  the  night  by  the  watch  striking  together 
two  pieces  of  wood.  Another  method  of  measuring 
time  is  by  burning  slow  match,  divided  into  knots  to 
mark  the  hours.  The  Japanese  also  have  a clock,  the 
mechanism  of  which  is  described  in  a subsequent 
chapter. 

“The  first  of  January,  according  to  custom,”  saj’s 
Thunberg,  “most  of  the  Japanese  that  had  anything  to 
do  at  the  Dutch  factory  came  to  wish  us  a happy  new 
year.  Dressed  in  their  holiday  clothes,  they  paid  their 
respects  to  the  director,  who  invited  them  to  dine  with 
him.  The  victuals  were  chiefly  dressed  after  the  Euro- 
pean manner,  and,  consequently,  but  few  of  the  dishes 
were  tasted  by  the  Japanese.  Of  the  soup  they  all 
partook,  but  of  the  other  dishes,  such  as  roasted  pigs, 
hams,  salad,  cakes,  tarts,  and  other  pastries,  they  ate 
little  or  nothing,  but  put  on  a plate  a little  of  every 
dish,  and,  when  it  was  full,  sent  it  home,  labelled  with 
the  owner's  name;  and  this  was  repeated  several  times. 
Salt  beef,  and  the  like,  which  the  Japanese  do  not  eat, 


FESTIVITIES  OF  THE  NEW  YEAR 


127 


were  set  by,  and  used  as  a medicine.  The  same  may 
be  said  of  the  salt  butter,  of  which  I was  frequently 
desired  to  cut  a slice  for  some  of  the  company.  It  is 
made  into  pills,  and  taken  daily  in  consumptions  and 
other  disorders.  After  dinner,  warm  sake  was  handed 
round,  which  was  drank  out  of  lackered  wooden  cups. 

“ On  this  festive  occasion  the  director  invited  from 
the  town  several  handsome  girls,  partly  for  the  purpose 
of  serving  out  the  sake,  and  partly  to  dance  and  bear 
the  girls  company  who  were  already  on  the  island. 
After  dinner,  these  girls  treated  the  Japanese  to  several 
of  their  own  country  messes,  placed  on  small  square 
tables,  which  were  decorated  with  an  artificial  fir-tree, 
the  leaves  of  which  were  made  of  green  silk,  and  in 
several  places  sprinkled  over  with  white  cotton,  in  imi- 
tation of  the  winter’s  snow.  The  girls  never  presented 
the  sake,  standing,  but,  after  their  own  fashion,  sitting. 
In  the  evening  they  danced,  and  about  five  o’clock  the 
company  took  their  leave.” 

The  19th  of  February.  1776,  on  which  fell  the  be- 
ginning of  the  Japanese  year,  was  celebrated  according 
to  the  Japanese  custom,  all  of  them  going  visiting, 
dressed  up  in  their  holiday  clothes,  and  wishing  their 
neighbors  joy;  and,  indeed,  this  interchange  of  con- 
gratulations is  kept  up,  more  or  less,  through  the  first 
month. 

On  the  two  last  days  of  the  year  a general  settlement 
of  accounts  takes  place.  Fresh  credit  is  then  given  for 
six  months,  when  a new  settlement  takes  place.  The 
rate  of  interest  was  high,  ranging  from  eighteen  to 
twenty  per  cent.  Thunberg  was  told  that,  after  new- 
year’s  day,  there  was  no  right  to  demand  settlement  of 
the  last  year’s  accounts. 


128 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


Shortly  after  the  Japanese  new  year,  took  place  the 
trampling  of  images,  which  ceremony,  according  to  the 
information  obtained  by  Thunberg,  was  still  performed 
by  all  the  inhabitants  of  Nagasaki,  exactly  as  in  Kamp- 
fer's  time. 

On  the  4th  of  March  the  director  set  out  for  the  em- 
peror’s court,  accompanied,  as  usual,  by  the  secretary 
of  the  factory,  and  by  Thunberg  as  physician.  In 
Kampfer’s  day  these  two  latter  persons  had  been  obliged 
to  make  the  journey  on  horseback,  exposed  to  cold,  rain, 
and  all  the  inclemencies  of  the  weather.  Since  then 
they  had  obtained  the  privilege  of  travelling  in  nori- 
mono,  equally  with  the  director.  Dr.  Thunberg  seems 
to  have  been  well  satisfied  with  his  vehicle,  which  he 
describes  as  both  handsome  and  convenient.  Each 
norimono  traveller  had  with  him  a bottle  of  red  wine, 
and  another  of  Dutch  ale,  taken  daily  from  the  large 
stock  provided  for  the  journey,  and  preferred  by  the 
Europeans  to  tea,  which  they  regarded  as  a “great 
relaxer  of  the  stomach.”  Each  traveller  had  also  an 
oblong  lackered  box,  containing  “ a double  slice  of 
bread  and  butter.”  In  order  to  support  the  dignity  of 
the  Dutch  East  India  Company,  the  bed  equipage  which 
they  carried  with  them,  consisting  of  coverlids,  pillows, 
and  mattresses,  was  covered  with  the  richest  open-work 
velvets  and  silks.  Their  retinue,  on  horseback  and  on 
foot,  was  numerous  and  picturesque.  They  were  re- 
ceived everywhere  with  the  honor  and  respect  paid  to 
the  princes  of  the  land;  and,  besides,  says  Thunberg, 
wTere  so  well  guarded  “that  no  harm  could  befall  us, 
and,  at  the  same  time,  so  well  attended  that  we  had  no 
more  care  upon  our  minds  than  a sucking  child;  the 
whole  of  our  business  consisting  in  eating  and  drinking, 


The  Ear-Mound  at  Kyoto 


JOURNEY  TO  COURT 


129 


or  in  reading  or  writing  for  our  amusement,  in  sleep- 
ing, dressing  ourselves,  and  being  carried  about  in  our 
norimono.” 

At  setting  out,  each  of  the  three  Dutchmen  received 
from  the  purveyor  fifty  taels,  for  their  individual  ex- 
penses. This  was  the  first  Japanese  money  which 
Thunherg  had  seen,  and  this,  with  other  sums  doled 
out  to  them  from  time  to  time,  was  chiefly  spent  in 
presents  to  their  attendants.  The  disbursement  on  this 
score,  at  starting,  amounted  to  ten  taels  each. 

In  the  early  part  of  their  journey,  they  followed  a 
somewhat  different  road  from  Ivampfer’s,  all  the  way 
by  land,  not  crossing  either  the  hay  of  Oinura,  nor  that 
of  Sliimabara.  They  passed,  however,  through  Shiota, 
as  Kampfer  had  done,  famous  for  its  large  water- jars, 
and  visited  the  hot  springs  in  that  neighborhood,  and 
also  Saga,  capital  of  the  province  of  Ilizen,  remarkable 
for  its  handsome  women,  its  rice  and  its  fine  porcelain. 
The  roads  were  found  such  as  Kampfer  had  described 
them.  Proceeding  onward,  still  by  Kiimpfer’s  route, 
they  reached  Ivokura  on  the  ninth  of  March.  The  fol- 
lowing description  of  Japanese  houses  corresponds  suffi- 
ciently well  with  that  of  Kampfer,  while  it  gives  a 
rather  more  distinct,  and  somewhat  less  flattering,  idea 
of  them.  “ The  houses  are  veiy  roomy  and  commodious, 
and  never  more  than  two  stories  — at  most  twenty  feet 
— high,  of  which  the  lower  one  is  inhabited,  and  the 
upper  serves  for  lofts  and  garrets,  and  is  seldom  occu- 
pied. The  mode  of  building  in  this  country  is  curious 
and  peculiar.  Every  house  occupies  a great  extent  of 
ground,  and  is  built  in  general  of  wood  and  plaster, 
and  whitewashed  on  the  outside  so  as  to  look  exactly 
like  stone.  The  beams  all  lie  horizontal  or  stand 

VOL.  II. — 9 


130 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


perpendicular.  Between  these  beams,  which  are  square 
and  far  from  thick,  bamboos  are  interwoven,  and  the 
space  Ailed  up  with  clay,  sand,  and  lime.  The  roofs 
are  covered  with  tiles  of  a singular  make,  very  thick 
and  heavy.  The  more  ordinary  houses  are  covered 
with  chips  [shingles],  on  which  are  frequently  laid 
heavy  stones  to  secure  them.  In  the  villages  and 
meaner  towns  I sometimes  saw  the  sides  of  the  houses, 
especially  behind,  covered  with  the  bark  of  trees,  which 
Avas  secured  by  laths  nailed  on  it  to  prevent  the  rain 
from  damaging  the  Avail. 

“The  Avhole  house  makes  but  one  room,  which  can 
be  divided  according  as  it  may  he  found  necessary,  or 
thought  proper,  into  many  smaller  ones.  This  is  done 
by  moving  slight  partitions,  consisting  of  wooden  frames, 
pasted  over  with  thick  painted  paper,  Avliich  slide  with 
great  ease  in  grooves  made  in  the  beams  of  the  floor 
and  roof  for  that  purpose.  Such  rooms  Avere  frequently 
partitioned  off  for  us  and  our  retinue,  during  our  jour- 
ney; and  Avhen  a larger  apartment  A\ras  Avanted  for  a 
dining-room,  or  any  other  purpose,  the  partitions  were 
in  an  instant  taken  away.  One  could  not  see,  indeed, 
Avhat  Avas  done  in  the  next  room,  hut  one  frequently 
overheard  the  conversation  that  passed  there. 

“ In  each  room  there  are  tAvo  or  more  windows,  which 
reach  from  the  ceiling  to  within  two  feet  of  the  floor. 
They  consist  of  light  frames  which  may  be  taken  out, 
put  in,  and  slid  behind  each  other,  at  pleasure,  in  tAvo 
grooves  made  for  this  purpose  in  the  beams  above  and 
beloAV  them.  They  are  divided  by  slender  rods  into 
panes  of  a para tlelogramma tic  form,  sometimes  to  the 
number  of  forty,  and  pasted  over  on  the  outside  Avith 
fine  Avliite  paper,  Avhicli  is  seldom  if  ever  oiled,  and 


DWELLING-HOUSES 


131 


admits  a great  deal  of  light,  but  prevents  any  one  from 
seeing  through  it.  The  roof  always  projects  a great 
way  beyond  the  house,  and  sometimes  has  an  addition 
which  covers  a small  projecting  gallery  that  stands 
before  each  window.  From  this  little  roof  go  slanting 
inwards  and  downwards  several  quadrangular  frames, 
within  which  hang  blinds  made  of  rushes,  which  may 
be  drawn  up  and  let  down,  and  serve  not  only  to  hinder 
people  that  pass  by  from  looking  into  the  house,  but 
chiefly  when  it  rains  to  prevent  the  paper  windows  from 
being  damaged.  There  are  no  glass  windows  here ; nor 
have  I observed  mother-of-pearl  or  muscovy  talc  (mica, 
or  isinglass)  used  for  this  purpose. 

“ The  houses  have  neither  the  elegant  appearance  nor 
the  convenience  and  comfort  of  ours  in  Europe.  The 
rooms  are  not  so  cheerful  and  pleasant,  nor  so  warm  in 
the  winter,  neither  arc  they  so  safe  in  case  of  fire,  nor 
so  durable.  Their  semi-transparent  paper  windows,  in 
particular,  spoil  the  houses,  as  well  in  their  inside  as 
outside  appearance.  Neither  chimneys  nor  stoves  are 
known  throughout  the  whole  country,  although  the 
cold  is  very  intense,  and  they  are  obliged  to  make  fires 
in  their  apartments  from  October  to  March.  The  fires 
are  made  in  copper  kettles,  of  various  sizes,  with  broad 
projecting  edges.  This  mode  of  firing  is  liable,  how- 
ever, to  this  inconvenience,  that  the  charcoal  sometimes 
smokes,  in  consequence  of  which  the  apartment  becomes 
dirty  and  black,  and  the  eyes  of  the  company  suffer 
exceedingly. 

“ The  floors  are  always  covered  with  mats  made  of  a 
fine  species  of  rush  ( Juncus  effusus ),  cultivated  in  low 
spots  for  that  purpose,  and  interwoven  with  rice  straw. 
These  mats  are  from  three  to  four  inches  thick,  and  of 


132 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


the  same  size  throughout  the  country,  viz.,  two  yards 
long  and  one  broad.  The  insides  of  the  houses,  both 
ceiling  and  walls,  are  covered  with  a handsome,  thick 
paper,  ornamented  with  various  flowers.  These  hang- 
ings are  either  green,  yellow,  or  white ; and  sometimes 
embellished  with  silver  and  gold.  As  the  paper  is 
greatly  damaged  by  the  smoke  in  winter,  it  is  renewed 
every  third  or  fifth  year.1 

1 The  Japanese  paper,  as  well  for  writing  and  printing  as  for  the 
household  uses  to  which  it  is  so  extensively  put,  is  manufactured  from 
the  bark  of  the  young  twigs  of  the  paper  mulberry  (Morus  papi/rifira). 
Kampfer  has  given  a particular  account  of  it  in  the  appendix  to  his 
work.  That  account,  which,  now  that  so  many  experiments  are  on 
foot  for  the  manufacture  of  paper,  may  suggest  some  useful  hints,  is 
abridged  by  Thunberg  as  follows  : 

“ After  the  tree  has  shed  its  leaves  in  the  month  of  December,  they 
cut  off  the  young  shoots  about  three  feet  in  length,  which  they  tie  up 
in  bundles  and  boil  in  a lye  of  ashes,  standing  inverted  in  a copper 
kettle  till  the  bark  is  so  shrunk  that  half  an  inch  of  the  woody  part  is 
seen  bare  at  the  ends.  If  the  twigs  grow  dry  before  they  can  be  boiled, 
they  are  first  soaked  in  water  for  four-and-twenty  hours.  When  suffi- 
ciently boiled,  they  are  taken  out  and  the  bark  cut  lengthwise  and 
stripped  off.  After  being  soaked  in  water  for  three  hours,  the  exterior 
black  skin  and  the  green  part  beneath  it  is  scraped  off  with  a knife, 
and  the  bark  is  then  sorted  into  qualities;  that  which  is  a full  year’s 
growth  makes  the  best  paper,  and  the  less  mature  an  inferior  quality. 
Thus  prepared  and  sorted,  it  is  again  boiled  in  a clear  lye,  being  per- 
petually stirred,  and  fresh  lye  supplied  to  make  up  for  the  evaporation ; 
and  this  process  is  continued  till  the  bark  is  dissolved,  as  it  were,  sepa- 
rating into  flocks  and  fibres.  It  must  then  be  washed,  — a process 
requiring  care  and  judgment,  as,  if  not  carried  far  enough,  the  paper 
will  be  coarse,  and  if  too  far,  thin  and  slazy.  This  is  done  in  a running 
stream,  by  means  of  a sieve  containing  the  material,  which  is  perpetu- 
ally stirred  till  it  is  diluted  into  a delicate,  soft  pap.  For  the  finer 
kinds  this  washing  is  repeated,  a piece  of  linen  being  substituted  for 
the  sieve,  to  prevent  the  finer  parts  from  being  carried  away.  After 
being  washed,  it  is  beaten  with  sticks  of  hard  wood,  on  a wooden  table, 
till  it  is  brought  to  a pulp,  which  if  put  into  water  will  dissolve  and 
disperse  like  meal. 

“It  is  then  mixed  in  a tub  with  a clammy  infusion,  obtained  by 
soaking  rice  in  cold  water,  and  with  another  mucilaginous  infusion, 
obtained  in  the  like  manner  from  the  root  of  Oreni  (Hibiscus  manihot). 


HOUSEHOLD  FURNITURE 


133 


“The  furniture  in  this  country  is  as  simple  as  the 
style  of  building.  Neither  cupboards,  bureaus,  sofas, 
beds,  tables,  chairs,  clocks,  looking-glasses,  nor  anything 
else  of  the  kind,  is  to  be  seen.  To  the  greater  part  of 
these  the  Japanese  are  utter  strangers.  Their  soft 
floor-mats  serve  them  for  chairs.  A small  table,  or 
rather  salver,  about  twelve  inches  square  and  four  high, 
is  set  before  each  person  in  company  at  every  meal,  of 
which  there  are  three  a day.  The  food  (rice,  soup,  and 
flsli  being  the  principal  articles)  is  served  in  lackered 
wooden  cups.  Most  other  nations  of  the  East  sit  with 
their  legs  laid  across  before  them, — the  Chinese  and 
Japanese  lay  their  feet  under  their  bodies,  and  make  a 
chair  of  their  heels.  When  the  hour  of  rest  approaches, 
a soft  mattress,  stuffed  with  cotton,  is  spread  out  on 
the  mats.  The  Japanese  have  no  pillows,  instead  of 
which  they  use  oblong  lackered  pieces  of  wood.  With 
the  above  apparatus  for  sleeping,  the  Japanese  bed- 
chamber is  put  in  order,  and  he  himself  up  and  dressed, 
in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye ; as,  in  fact,  scarcely  a longer 
time  is  requisite  for  him  to  throw  the  gown  over  him, 
which  serves  for  dress  by  day  and  bedclothes  at  night, 
and  to  gird  it  round  his  waist. 

“Though  mirrors  do  not  decorate  the  walls,  they  arc 

This  mixture,  upon  which  much  depends,  and  the  proportions  of  which 
vary  with  the  season  of  the  year,  succeeds  best  in  a narrow  tub,  and 
requires  perpetual  stirring.  The  whole  is  then  put  into  a larger  tub, 
from  which  the  sheets  are  taken  out  and  put  between  mats  made  of 
delicate  grass  straw,  and  laid  one  upon  another  in  heaps,  being  pressed 
at  first  lightly,  but  gradually  harder  and  harder,  till  the  water  is 
squeezed  out.  They  are  then  laid  upon  a board  to  dry  in  the  sun ; 
after  which  they  are  packed  in  bundles  for  sale  and  use. 

“For  the  coarser  kinds  of  paper  other  sorts  of  bark  are  sometimes 
used. 

“ The  Japanese  paper  is  very  close  and  strong.  It  will  bear  being 
twisted  into  ropes,  and  is  occasionally  used  even  for  dresses.” 


134 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


in  general  use  at  the  toilet,  made  not  of  glass,  but  of  a 
composition  of  copper  and  zinc  highly  polished,  and 
fixed  obliquely  in  a stand  of  wood  made  for  that  pur- 
pose. Cleanliness  is  a constant  object  with  these  people, 
and  not  a day  passes  in  which  they  do  not  wash  them- 
selves, whether  they  are  at  home  or  on  a journey.  In 
all  towns  and  villages,  inns  and  private  houses,  there 
are  baths.  ” He  adds,  however,  what  goes  rather 
against  this  alleged  cleanliness,  that  as  the  poor,  to 
save  expense,  are  accustomed  to  use  water  in  which 
others  have  repeatedly  bathed,  they  are  apt  in  that  way 
to  take  infectious  disorders.  Neither  do  their  open 
manure  vaults,  placed  by  the  roadsides  and  in  the  very 
fronts  of  their  houses,  agree  so  well  with  this  eulogy. 

At  Kokura  the  Dutch  bespoke,  against  their  return, 
rice  and  charcoal  for  the  factory  at  Deshima.  Having 
crossed  to  Shimonoseki,  they  embarked,  on  the  12th  of 
March,  in  a large  Japanese  junk,  for  Osaka;  but,  hav- 
ing made  less  than  half  the  voyage,  they  encountered 
contrary  winds,  which  drove  them  a long  distance  back, 
and  detained  them  for  near  three  weeks.  The  weather 
was  so  cold  as  to  make  fires  comfortable,  and  colds  and 
catarrhs,  endemical  to  Japan  from  the  changeability  of 
its  climate,  were  very  prevalent.  All  this  time  they 
slept  on  board,  but  had  several  times  an  opportunity  to 
go  on  shore  to  amuse  themselves  at  the  inns  and  tem- 
ples, the  Japanese  sailors  being  always  anxious  to  land 
in  order  to  bathe. 

The  country  all  along  this  coast  was  mountainous, 
which  was  the  reason  of  going  by  sea  instead  of  by  land, 
the  land  road  being  very  difficult.  This  coast  seemed, 
nevertheless,  to  be  highly  cultivated,  the  mountains  in 
many  places  resembling  beautiful  gardens. 


MANAGEMENT  OF  CHILDREN 


135 


At  the  places  where  they  landed,  the  children  were 
very  numerous.  ‘‘I  observed,”  says  Thunberg,  “that 
the  chastisement  of  children  was  very  moderate.  I 
very  seldom  heard  them  rebuked  or  scolded,  and  hardly 
ever  saw  them  flogged  or  beaten,  either  in  private  fami- 
lies or  on  board  the  vessels;  while,  in  more  civilized 
and  enlightened  nations,  these  compliments  abound.1 
In  the  schools  one  might  hear  the  children  read  all  at 
once,  and  so  loud  as  almost  to  deafen  one.” 

Whenever  the  Japanese  went  on  shore,  they  killed 
geese  and  ducks  for  the  Dutchmen  to  eat;  but  at  sea 
they  had  scruples  about  killing  them,  though  in  fine 
weather  the  Chinese  teal  (Anas  galericulata'),  and  sev- 
eral sorts  of  ducks,  fairly  covered  the  water,  so  as  to 
look  at  a distance  like  great  islands.  But,  though 
scrupulous  themselves,  they  made  no  objections  to 
Thunherg’s  killing  them ; though,  not  being  allowed 
the  use  of  firearms,  it  does  not  appear  how  he  did  it. 

At  length,  on  the  seventh  of  April,  after  a disagreeable 
and  dangerous  passage  of  twenty-six  days,  they  reached 
the  harbor  of  Hiogo,  whence  the  next  day,  partly  by 
land  and  partly  in  small  boats,  they  proceeded  to  Osaka. 
Here  each  of  the  travellers  disbursed  sixteen  taels  in 
presents  to  the  captain  and  crew  of  the  vessel,  for  the 

1 Caron,  whose  opportunities  of  knowledge  upon  this  point  were 
much  superior  to  those  of  Thunberg  or  any  subsequent  observer,  is 
very  explicit  upon  this  point.  “ The  parents  educate  their  children 
with  great  care.  They  are  not  forever  bawling  in  their  ears,  and  they 
never  use  them  roughly.  When  they  cry  they  show  a wonderful  pa- 
tience in  quieting  them,  knowing  well  that  young  children  are  not  of 
an  age  to  profit  by  reprimands.  This  method  succeeds  so  well,  that 
Japanese  children,  ten  or  twelve  years  old,  behave  with  all  the  discre- 
tion and  propriety  of  grown  people.  They  are  not  sent  to  school  till 
they  are  seven  or  eight  years  old,  and  then  they  are  not  forced  to  study 
things  for  which  they  have  no  inclination.” 


136 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


hire  of  which  the  sum  of  four  hundred  and  eighty  taels 
was  paid  by  the  East  India  Company.  They  stayed  at 
Osaka  only  a single  night,  during  which  they  bespoke 
from  some  merchants,  who  visited  them1  with  samples, 
several  articles,  such  as  insects  of  copper,  artificial  trees 
varnished,  fans  of  various  kinds,  writing  paper,  paper 
hangings,  etc.  They  left  Osaka  early  in  the  morning, 
by  torchlight,  and,  following  the  same  road  which 
Ivampfer  had  taken,  reached  Miyako  at  night.  “Ex- 
cept in  Holland,”  says  Thunberg,  “I  never  made  so 
pleasant  a journey  as  this,  with  regard  to  the  beauty 
and  delightful  appearance  of  the  country.  The  whole 
country,  on  both  sides  of  us,  as  far  as  we  could  see,  was 
nothing  hut  a fertile  field,  and  the  whole  of  our  long 
day’s  journey  extended  through  villages,  of  which  one 
began  where  the  other  ended.” 

The  farmers  were  now  preparing  their  lands  for  rice. 
The  fields,  by  means  of  a raised  border,  lay  almost  en- 
tirely under  water.  This  was  the  case  even  with  those 
sides  of  the  hills  intended  for  rice.  They  were  laid  out 
in  terraces,  the  water  collected  on  the  higher  grounds 
being  regulated  by  means  of  walls  or  dams,  so  as  to  he 
let  on  or  shut  off  at  pleasure.  There  were,  also,  reser- 
voirs, constructed  to  retain  the  contents  of  the  flooded 
streams,  against  occasions  of  drought.  The  rice  was 
sown  first  very  close  and  thick,  and  when  about  six 
inches  high  was  transplanted  into  the  fields,  in  tufts  of 
several  plants,  placed  about  six  inches  apart.  This  was 
done  by  the  women,  who  waded  about  in  water  at  least 
six  inches  deep,  the  men  having  first  turned  up  the 

1 In  Kampfer’s  time  no  personal  intercourse  was  allowed  with  those 
of  whom  articles  were  bought  at  Osaka,  Miyako,  and  Yedo.  In  this 
respect  there  would  seem  to  have  been  a relaxation. 


Kwannon,  Goddess  of  Mercy 


AGRICULTURE 


137 


ground  with  a hoe.  Beautiful  white  herons  followed 
the  laborers,  and  cleared  the  fields  of  worms.  The  rice 
thus  planted  was  reaped  in  November. 

Fields  of  wheat,  bailey  (used  to  feed  the  horses), 
buckwheat,  East  India  kale  ( Brassica  orientalis),  and 
mustard  (the  two  latter  for  oil)  were  also  seen.  These 
crops,  planted  in  November  or  December,  and  ripe  in 
May  or  June,  were  in  beds  about  a foot  broad,  and  sep- 
arated from  each  other  by  a deep  furrow  or  trench  of 
about  the  same  breadth.  Sometimes  they  were  planted 
across  these  narrow  beds,  and  sometimes  in  two  rows, 
lengthwise.  Thunberg  noticed  that  when  the  ear  was 
about  to  put  forth,  the  plants  being  grown  to  the  height 
of  a foot,  the  earth  was  taken  out  from  the  interven- 
ing trenches,  and  drawn  up  to  the  roots  of  the  plants. 
About  the  same  time,  or  a little  earlier,  the  liquid 
manure  collected  in  the  jars  already  described,  and 
mingled  with  all  sorts  of  refuse,  was  carried  out  by  the 
farmers,  in  large  pails,  and  poured  with  a ladle  on  the 
roots  of  the  plants;  a method  which  avoids  the  wraste 
incident  to  spreading  the  manure  on  unplanted  fields, 
to  be  dried  up  by  the  sun,  or  to  lose  by  evaporation  its 
volatile  salts  and  oily  particles. 

The  fields  were  kept  so  free  of  weeds  as  to  afford, 
much  to  Thunberg’s  disappointment,  very  little  chance 
to  botanize.  Animals  were  little  used  in  agriculture. 
Only  such  of  the  rice-fields  as  lay  low,  and  quite  under 
water,  were  ploughed  by  oxen,  — cows  being  kept  for 
draft  and  breeding  only,  and  never  milked.  The  only 
wheel  carnages  seen  were  a few  carts,  and  these  only  in 
and  about  Miyako,  some  with  three  wheels,1  one  before 

1 Kampfer  had  noticed  similar  three-wheeled  carts,  made  very  low, 
and  employed  in  drawing  stone  from  a quarry.  In  unloading,  the  sin- 
gle wheel  was  taken  off,  when  the  cart  formed  an  inclined  plane. 


138 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


the  other  two,  and  some  two-wheeled.  These  carts 
were  long  and  narrow,  the  wheels,  some  with  spokes 
and  fellies,  hut  without  any  tire,  except  a rope  tied 
about  them,  and  others  of  a solid  piece,  sawed  from  a 
log.  They  were  drawn  by  an  ox,  by  cows,  or  a buffalo. 
Ilorses  were  chiefly  for  the  use  of  their  princes,  though 
occasionally  employed  by  others  for  travelling  and  carry- 
ing burdens.  They  were  not  numerous,  but  Thunberg 
seems  to  make  rather  a close  estimate  in  saying  that  all 
Japan  has  scarcely  as  many  horses  as  a single  province 
of  Sweden.  There  was  no  occasion  for  meadows  or 
pastures,  the  cattle  and  horses  being  fed  at  home  all 
the  year,  so  that  all  the  land,  not  too  steep  or  rocky  for 
cultivation,  was  devoted  to  the  raising  of  crops;  nor 
did  the  fields  require  fences.  All  the  manure  of  the 
animals  kept  was  carefully  preserved,  old  men  and 
children  following  the  horses  of  travellers,  with  a shell 
fastened  to  the  end  of  a stick,  and  a basket  in  which  to 
put  what  they  collected.  Of  course  the  small  number 
of  domestic  animals  made  it  the  more  necessary  to 
resort  to  the  other  means  of  providing  manure  already 
noticed. 

A few  swine  were  to  be  seen,  but  only  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  Nagasaki.  There  were  no  sheep  nor  goats. 
A supply  of  these  animals,  and  also  of  cattle  and  hogs, 
for  the  Dutch  at  Desliima,  was  brought  annually  from 
Batavia.  Dogs,  “the  only  idlers  in  the  country,”  were 
kept  from  superstitious  motives,  and  cats  were  the  gen- 
eral favorites  of  the  women.  Hens  and  ducks  were 
kept  about  the  houses,  chiefly  for  their  eggs,  of  which 
the  Japanese  make  great  use,  boiled  hard  and  chopped 
into  small  pieces. 


CHAPTER  XL 


Japanese  Merchants  — Journey  from  Miyako  to  Yeclo  — Botany  of  the 
Mountains  — Rainy  Weather  — Coverings  for  the  Head  and  F eet  — 
Ye  do  — Astronomers  and  Physicians — Acupuncture  — Moxa  [Mo- 
yusa]  — Other  Japanese  Remedies  — Method  of  wearing  the  Hair  — 
Visits  to  the  Emperor  and  his  Chief  Officers  — Japanese  Dress  — 
Books  and  Maps  — Succession  of  Emperors  — Departure  from  Yedo 
— Gnats  — Fire-flies  — Threshing  — Vegetables  and  Fruits  — Condi- 
tion of  the  Japanese  Farmer  — Casting  Copper  — Actors  and  Dancers 
— Thunberg’s  Opinion  of  the  Japanese  — A.  D.  1775-1776. 

THE  travellers  remained  four  days  at  Miyako,  dur- 
ing which  the  accustomed  visits  were  paid  to  the 
chief  justice  and  to  the  two  governors.  A new 
advance  of  money  was  also  made  to  them  here,  Thun- 
berg’s share  being  three  hundred  taels,  in  gold  koban, 
to  be  charged  against  the  kamban  money  standing  to 
his  credit  from  the  sale  of  his  private  goods,  and  to  be 
laid  out  in  the  purchase  of  such  rarities  and  merchandise 
as  he  chose.  Here,  again,  the  Dutch  were  waited  on  by 
the  merchants,  from  whom  they  bespoke  several  articles 
in  sowas  (?)  and  lackered  ware,  to  be  ready  against  their 
return.  Of  these  Japanese  merchants,  Thunberg  ob- 
serves that  they  are  the  only  persons  in  the  country, 
except  the  emperor,  -who  can  become  rich,  and  that  they 
sometimes  accumulate  very  considerable  sums  ; but  they 
cannot,  as  in  Europe,  purchase  titles,  or  raise  themselves 
by  their  money  to  a higher  rank.  The  position  of  the 
trading  and  manufacturing  class  seems,  indeed,  almost 
precisely  the  same  with  that  which  they  held  in  Europe 
during  the  prevalence  of  feudal  ideas. 


140 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


Commerce,  however,  was  free  from  any  embarrass- 
ments by  tolls  or  duties,  and  a considerable  internal 
trade,  of  which  Miyako  was  the  centre  (several  annual 
fairs  being  held  there),  was  carried  on  in  tea,  silk  goods, 
porcelain,  rice,  lackered  ware,  etc. 

Setting  out  from  Miyako  on  the  fourteenth  of  April, 
the  travellers,  in  passing  lake  Otsu,  were  treated  to  a 
delicious  fish,  of  the  salmon  kind,  the  largest  of  which 
seen  by  Tliunberg  weighed  about  ten  pounds.  Finding, 
in  the  course  of  their  journey,  that  this  species  of  fish 
was  often  served  up,  they  ordered  some  to  be  smoked, 
against  their  return ; but  they  did  not  prove  equal  to 
European  salmon,  either  in  size,  fatness,  or  style  of 
curing.  Tire  country  still  continued  as  populous  as  be- 
fore. In  the  villages  were  many  almond,  peach,  and 
apricot  trees,  which  now  presented  a very  beautiful  ap- 
pearance, blossoming  on  the  bare  branches  before  the 
leaves  unfolded.  These,  as  well  as  the  plum,  cherry, 
apple,  and  pear1  trees,  sometimes  bore  double  flowers, 
upon  which  the  Japanese  put  a high  value. 

The  road  having  brought  them  to  the  sea-shore, 
Tliunberg  observed  the  Fucus  saccharinus,  called  by  the 
Japanese  Kombu,  or  sometimes  Noshi.  Cleansed  and 
dried,  it  is  eaten,  though  very  tough,  either  boiled  or 
raw,  — in  the  latter  case  cut  into  strips,  wliich  are  folded 
in  little  squares,  a considerable  number  of  which  are 
usually  strewed  on  the  little  tables,  or  salvers,  on  which 

1 Kiimpfer  says  that  the  European  apple-tree  is  unknown  in  Japan, 
and  that  they  have  only  one  kind  of  pears,  such  as  we  call  winter 
pears.  The  fruit  grows  to  a great  size,  but  must  hi'  cooked  to  be  eaten. 
Cherry-trees  are  cultivated  only  for  the  flowers,  as  apricots  and  plums 
often  are,  the  blossoms  being  brought  by  art  to  be  as  big  as  roses. 
Golownin,  however,  ate  apples  in  northern  Japan,  though  of  an  inferior 
quality. 


THUNBERG’S  BOTANICAL  OBSERVATIONS  141 


the  complimentary  presents,  so  common  with  the  Japa- 
nese, are  offered.  These  presents,  generally  of  trifling 
value,  are  always  accompanied  with  a complimentary 
paper  (so  called),  folded  in  a peculiar  manner,  and  having 
slips  of  this  fucus  pasted  to  both  ends  of  it. 

The  mountain,  Fuji,  was  now  in  sight,  and  presently 
the  mountainous  tract  of  Hakone  was  entered,  separat- 
ing the  bays  of  Totomi  and  Yedo.  It  took  a day  to 
cross  these  mountains,  which  were  covered  with  bushes 
and  forest  trees,  and  were  the  only  hills  in  Japan,  except 
those  close  to  Nagasaki,  which  Thunberg  was  permitted 
freely  to  wander  over  and  examine.  “ This  day,”  lie 
says,  “ I was  seldom  in  my  norimono ; but  in  the  same 
degree  as  I eased  my  bearers  of  their  burden,  I rendered 
the  journey  troublesome  to  the  interpreters,  and  more 
particularly  to  the  inferior  officers,  who,  by  rotation, 
were  to  follow  my  steps.  I was  not  allowed,  indeed,  to 
go  far  out  of  the  road,  but  having  been  previously  used 
to  run  up  rocks  in  the  African  mountains,  I frequently 
got  to  a considerable  distance  before  my  anxious  and 
panting  followers,  and  thereby  gained  time  to  gather  a 
great  many  of  the  most  curious  and  scarcest  plants, 
which  had  just  begun  to  flower,  and  which  I put  in  my 
handkerchief.” 

Among  the  trees  growing  in  this  tract  was  the  Thuya 
dolebrata,  planted  everywhere  by  the  roadside,  tall, 
straight,  and  with  leaves  of  silver-white  on  their  under 
sides,  — in  Thunberg’s  opinion  the  handsomest  of  the 
fir  tribe.  There  were  no  less  than  six  peculiar  species  of 
maple,  all  of  great  beauty.  Cedars  ( Cuprensm  japonica), 
a common  tree  throughout  the  countiy,  grew  here  in 
great  perfection.  The  straightest  and  tallest  of  the  firs, 
their  trunks  ran  up  straight  as  a candle,  and,  being  both 


142 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


light  and  very  durable,  the  timber  was  employed  for  all 
sorts  of  constructions,  and  also  for  cabinet  work,  the 
veins  showing  to  advantage  when  covered  with  varnish. 
The  wood  of  this  tree,  next  to  the  Pinus  silvestris , is 
that  most  employed  by  carpenters,  etc.  He  also  observed 
several  species  of  oaks,1  the  common  barberry,  in  full 
blossom,  several  species  of  the  Vaccinia , or  whortleberry, 
a wild  pear-tree,  a shrub  with  leaves  so  rough  that  they 
are  used  for  polishing  by  the  joiners,  the  Oryris  japo- 
nica,  bearing  its  flowers  at  the  middle  of  its  leaves ; also, 
several  beautiful  flowering  shrubs,  Viburna , with  double 
as  well  as  single  flowers,  two  species  of  Spirea , the 
Citrus  tripoliata , and  the  Gardenia  Florida , of  which 
the  seed-vessels  afforded  a yellow  dye.  The  dragon  lily 
( Arum  dracontium),  and  the  edible  species  of  the  same 
plant  (Arum  esculentum ),  the  eddo,  or  tania,  of  the  West 
Indies,  and  taro,  of  the  Sandwich  Islands  ( Caladium  in 
more  recent  classifications),  were  cultivated  in  some 
spots. 

By  night  the  sea-shore  was  again  reached,  at  Oda- 
wara,  whence  two  days’  journey  took  them  to  Ye  do, 
where  they  arrived,  on  account  of  the  delay  in  the  sea 
voyage,  at  a period  unusually  late,  but  which  Thunberg 
notes  as  an  advantage,  since  it  gave  him,  both  going  and 
returning,  a better  opportunity  to  observe  the  vegetation 
of  the  country.  During  the  journey  there  had  been  rain 
sometimes,  but  not  too  often,  and  the  cold  had  been  such 
as  occasionally  to  make  fires  very  comfortable.  The 
Japanese,  lie  observed,  bore  the  cold  better  than  the 
rain,  which  did  not  altogether  agree  with  their  bare  feet 
and  heads.  For  the  feet  they  used  only  slippers  of  rice 

1 Kampfer  says  there  are  two  species  peculiar  to  Japan,  the  acorns 
of  which  are  boiled  and  eaten. 


THUNBERG  AT  YEDO 


143 


straw,1  left  at  the  door  whenever  they  entered  a house, 
consisting  of  a sole,  without  upper  leather  or  hind-piece 
(kept  on  by  a thong,  or  strap,  held  fast  between  the  toes), 
and  soon  soaked  and  spoiled  by  the  rain,  on  which  occa- 
sion, indeed,  high  wooden  clogs  were  sometimes  substi- 
tuted. Ordinarily,  even  while  travelling,  no  covering 
for  the  head  was  worn,  but  in  hard  rains  they  used  an 
umbrella,  a hat  of  plaited  grass,  and  a cloak  of  oil-paper, 
for  which  the  poorer  class  substituted  a piece  of  straw 
matting,  thrown  over  their  backs. 

The  weather,  during  a stay  of  twenty-six  days  at 
Yedo,  from  April  28  to  May  25,  was  often  damp,  almost 
every  day  cloudy,  with  sometimes  drizzling,  and  some- 
times heavy,  rain.  Several  slight  shocks  of  earthquake 
were  felt.  Several  fires  occurred,  which  were  soon  ex- 
tinguished. A great  lire,  during  the  Dutch  visit  of  1772, 
had  burned  from  noon  till  eight  at  night,  spreading  over 
a vast  space,  and  making  it  necessary  to  remove  the 
Dutch  three  times. 

Down  to  the  day  of  audience,  which  did  not  take  place 
till  the  18th  of  May,  the  Dutch  were  not  suffered  to  go 
out.  Numbers  of  persons  obtained,  however,  permission 
to  visit  them.  The  first  who  called  were  five  physicians 
and  two  astronomers,  prompted  especially  by  Thunberg’s 
scientific  reputation,  which  the  interpreters  had  noised 
abroad,  and  who  were  very  inquisitive  on  various  points 
of  science.  The  questions  of  the  astronomers  related 
principally  to  eclipses,  which  it  appeared  they  could  not 
calculate  to  minutes,  and  frequently  not  even  to  hours ; 
but  besides  the  difficulty  of  carrying  on  this  conversation 

1 Later  accounts  represent  cloth  or  cotton  stockings,  or  socks,  as 
frequently  worn  in  cold  weather,  resembling  mittens,  in  having  a sep- 
arate accommodation  for  the  great  toe,  so  as  to  permit  the  introduction 
between  that  and  the  others  of  the  shoe-holding  strap. 


144 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


through  interpreters,  another  arose,  from  the  fact  that 
Thunberg’s  astronomy  had  grown  a little  rusty,  and  that 
neither  he  nor  the  Japanese  had  any  books  to  which  they 
could  refer. 

In  matters  of  medicine  1 he  felt  more  at  home,  espe- 
cially as  two  of  the  J apanese  doctors  could  speak  Dutch, 
— one  of  them  tolerably  well.  They  also  had  some 
knowledge  of  natural  history,  collected  partly  from 
Chinese  and  Dutch  books,  and  partly  from  the  Dutch 
physicians  who  had  visited  Yedo,  but  who  frequently 
had  not  been  very  well  able  to  instruct  them,  as  they 
were  often,  to  use  Thunberg’s  expression,  “ little  better 
than  horse-doctors.”  One  of  the  two  Japanese,  quite  a 
young  man,  was  the  emperor’s  body -physician ; the  other, 
somewhat  older  and  better  informed,  was  physician  to  one 
of  the  chief  princes.  Both  were  good-natured,  acute,  and 
lively.  They  attached  themselves  to  Thunberg  with 
great  zeal,  coming  to  see  him  every  day,  and  often  stay- 
ing late  at  night.  Though  wearisome  with  their  ques- 
tions, yet  so  insinuating  were  they  in  their  manners  and 
anxious  to  learn,  that  our  traveller  found  much  pleasure 
in  their  society.  They  had  a number  of  Dutch  works  on 
botany,  medicine,  and  surgery,  and  Thunberg  sold  them 
some  others.  They  were  particularly  struck  with  the 
fine  set  of  surgical  instruments  which  he  had  brought 
from  Amsterdam  and  Paris.  These  medical  friends  were 
of  great  use  to  him  in  his  studies  in  natural  history. 
Among  the  botanical  specimens  which  they  brought  him 
were  the  pine  of  Europe  ( Pinus  nines),  of  which,  as 
well  as  of  the  Pinus  silvestris,  he  had  seen  several  on 
his  journey  to  court,  the  chestnut,  which  he  saw  after- 
wards at  Miyako,  on  his  return,  and  the  walnut  ( Jugulans 

1 See  paper  by  Dr.  Whitney,  in  vol.  xii  of  the  “ Transactions  of  the 
Asiatic  Society  of  Japan.”  — Edr. 


Scenes  among  the  Silk  Workers:  Heeling;  The  Culture  oe  the  Worms 


ACUPUNCTURE 


145 


nigra).  They  also  brought  him  a variety  of  ores  and 
minerals,  and  specimens  of  fishes  and  insects. 

The  Japanese,  he  found,  knew  nothing  of  anatomy  or 
physiology.  They  were  ignorant  of  the  circulation  of 
the  blood,  feeling  the  pulse  for  a quarter  of  an  hour,  first 
in  one  arm  and  then  in  the  other,  not  knowing  that  both 
beat  alike.  Bleeding  they  very  seldom  practised  ; of  the 
use  of  mercury  they  knew  nothing ; and,  notwithstanding 
what  Tliunberg  relates  of  the  cures  effected  under  his 
direction,  by  the  use  of  corrosive  sublimate,  it  may  be 
doubted  how  much  benefit  he  conferred  by  the  introduc- 
tion of  that  remedy,  or  by  the  present  which  he  made  to 
his  “ beloved  pupils  ” of  “ his  silver-spring  lancet,”  with 
instructions  how  to  use  it. 

The  two  great  remedies  of  the  Japanese  are  acupuncture 
and  burning  with  the  moxa  \rnogu&a~\,  the  former  chiefly 
practised  in  a violent  colic  endemic  to  the  country. 
According  to  the  Japanese  theory,  it  is  caused  by  wind, 
and  to  let  out  this  wind  several  small  holes  — nine  being 
a favorite  number  — are  made  with  needles,  prepared  for 
the  purpose,  generally  in  the  muscles  of  the  stomach  or 
abdomen,  though  other  fleshy  parts  of  the  body  are,  in 
some  cases,  chosen  for  the  operation.  These  needles  are 
nearly  as  fine  as  a hair,  made  of  gold  and  silver  gener- 
ally, but  sometimes  of  steel,  by  persons  who  profess  a 
particular  skill  in  tempering  them.  The  bony  parts, 
nerves,  and  blood-vessels  are  carefully  avoided,  and  while 
they  are  passed  through  the  skin  and  muscle,  they  are 
twirled  about  in  a peculiar  manner.  There  are  many 
practitioners  who  confine  themselves  to  this  practice 
alone.1 

1 There  have  not  been  wanting  attempts  to  introduce  acupuncture 
into  European  practice.  See  a sensible  article  on  this  subject  by 
VOL.  II. — 10 


146 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


A still  more  favorite  and  universal  remedy,  employed 
quite  as  much  for  prevention  as  cure,  is  burning  with 
the  moxa  \mogmd],  — the  finer  woolly  part  of  the  young 
leaves  of  the  wormwood  (Artemisia),  of  which  the 
coarser  kind  is  used  for  ordinary  tinder.  It  is  pro- 
cured by  rubbing  and  beating  the  leaves  till  the  green 
part  separates  and  nothing  remains  but  the  wool,  which 
is  sorted  into  two  kinds.  When  applied,  it  is  made  up 
in  little  cones,  which,  being  placed  on  the  part  selected 
for  the  operation,  are  set  fire  to  from  the  top.  They 
burn  very  slowly,  leaving  a scar  or  blister  on  the  skiu, 
which,  some  time  after,  breaks  and  discharges.  The 
operation  is  not  very  painful,  except  when  repeated  in 
the  same  place,  as  it  sometimes  is,  or  when  applied  to 
certain  tender  parts.  It  is  thought  very  efficacious  in 
pleurisies,  toothache,  gout,  and  rheumatism,  — disorders 
which,  like  the  colic  above  mentioned,  are  rapid  in  their 
operation,  and  of  which  the  paroxysms  tend  to  a speedy 
termination  under  any  medical  treatment  or  none  at  all. 
The  Japanese  have  very  elaborate  treatises  as  to  the 
effects  produced  by  the  moxa,  according  to  the  part  to 
which  it  is  applied,  and  its  application  forms  a science 
and  profession  by  itself.  The  fleshy  parts,  especially  of 
the  back,  are  ordinarily  selected.  It  is  used  still  more 
by  way  of  prevention  than  for  cure,  every  person,  young 
and  old,  male  and  female,  even  prisoners  in  the  jails, 
submitting  to  the  operation  at  least  once  in  six  months.1 
Another  remedy  is  friction,  applied  by  certain  professors, 

Rc'musat  (“Nov.  Melanges  Asiat.,”  vol.  i),  in  which  he  gives  an  anal- 
ysis of  a Japanese  treatise  on  acupuncture,  which,  with  a translation  of 
it,  was  brought  home  by  Titsingh. 

1 Kiimpfer  treats  at  length  on  the  acupuncture  and  moxa,  and  gives 
in  his  appendix  a translation  of  a Japanese  treatise  on  the  parts  to  be 
selected  to  be  burned,  according  to  the  object  to  be  accomplished. 


TONSORIAL  PRACTICES 


147 


and  which  proves  of  great  use  in  pains  of  the  limbs, 
arising  from  the  prevailing  vicissitudes  of  the  weather. 
Internal  remedies  are  generally  exhibited  in  the  form  of 
simple  decoctions,  diuretic  or  sudorific.  W onderful  vir- 
tues are  ascribed  to  certain  drugs ; and,  on  the  whole, 
the  Japanese  appear,  as  in  the  use  of  unicorn’s  horn  and 
ginseng,  to  have  been  not  less  deluded  by  quack  medi- 
cines and  medical  theories  than  more  enlightened  nations.1 

The  doctors,  like  the  priests,  are  distinguished  from 
other  people  by  the  fashion  of  wearing  their  hair.  Thun- 
berg  states  in  one  place  that  they  shaved  the  whole  head ; 
in  another,  that  they  had  the  option  of  retaining  all  their 
hair,  like  the  boys  and  women.  According  to  Titsingh, 
physicians  shave  the  head,  and  surgeons  wear  the  hair. 
Of  surgery,  however,  they  know  next  to  nothing. 

All  the  male  Japanese  who  are  neither  priests  nor 
physicians,  from  the  time  the  beard  begins  to  grow,  shave 
the  head  from  the  forehead  to  the  nape  of  the  neck.  The 
little  hair  left  about  the  neck  and  on  the  temples  is  well 
oiled,  turned  up  in  a cue,  and  tied  with  several  rounds  of 
white  string  made  of  paper.  The  hair  above  the  tie  is 
cut  off,  leaving  about  the  length  of  a finger,  which,  being 
stiffened  with  a sort  of  pomatum,  is  so  bent  that  the  tip 
of  it  is  made  to  stand  against  the  crown  of  the  head. 
This  arrangement  is  strictly  attended  to,  the  head  being 
shaved  every  day,  that  the  stumps  of  the  growing  hair 
may  not  disfigure  it. 


i Of  the  Dosha  powder,  to  which  the  Japanese  ascribe  singular 
effects,  M.  Titsingh  has  given  a curious  account.  “Illustrations,” 
p.  283.  It  was  the  invention  of  Kobo,  a great  saint  and  sage,  who,  by 
profound  meditation  on  the  writings  both  of  his  own  sect  and  others, 
had  discovered  that  the  great  scourges  of  mankind  are  four  ; namely, 
Jigoku,  hell ; Gahi,  hungry  demon,  woman ; Chikusho,  the  man  with  a 
perverse  heart ; and  Shura,  war. 


148 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


Women  who  have  parted  with  their  husbands  also 
shave  their  heads  — at  least  Thunberg  met  with  one 
such  instance  ; but,  in  general,  the  women  retain  all  their 
hair,  which  they  make  smooth  with  oil  and  mucilaginous 
substances,  and  either  put  close  to  the  head  all  round,  or 
else  (in  the  case  of  single  women  and  serving-maids) 
make  it  stand  in  puffs  on  each  side  of  the  face.  The 
ends  are  fastened  together  in  a knob  at  the  crown  of  the 
head,  just  before  which  is  stuck  a large  comb,  made,  in 
the  case  of  the  poorer  people,  of  lackered  boxwood,  and 
among  the  richer  of  tortoise-shell.  The  rich  wear  also 
several  long  ornaments  of  tortoise-shell,  stuck  through 
this  knob,  which,  with  a few  flowers,  constitute  the  whole 
of  their  head  decorations.  “ Vanity,”  says  Thunberg, 
“ has  not  yet  taken  root  among  them  to  that  degree  as  to 
induce  them  to  wear  rings  or  other  ornaments  in  their 
ears.  No  caps,  hats,  or  bonnets  are  worn,  except  a coni- 
cal cap,  made  of  reeds,  when  travelling.  Otherwise  the 
parasol  or  fan  is  all  the  shelter  they  use  against  the  sun 
or  the  rain.” 

The  official  visits  are  thus  described  by  Thunberg: 
“We  were  dressed  in  the  European  fashion,  but  in  costly 
silks,  interwoven  with  silver  and  laced  with  gold.  On 
account  of  the  festivity  of  the  day  ic  was  requisite  for 
us  to  wear  our  swords  and  a very  large  black  silk  cloak. 
We  were  carried  a considerable  distance  through  the 
town  before  we  arrived  at  the  emperor’s  residence.  This 
is  surrounded  by  fosses  and  stone  walls,  and  separated 
by  draw-bridges.  It  forms  a considerable  town  of  itself, 
and  is  said  to  be  five  leagues  in  circumference,  compris- 
ing the  emperor’s  private  palace,  as  also  that  of  the 
hereditary  prince,  each  separated  from  the  other  by  wide 
fosses,  stone  walls,  gates,  and  other  bulwarks.  In  the 


IMPERIAL  AUDIENCE. 


149 


outermost  citadel,  which  was  the  largest  of  all,  were 
large  and  handsome  covered  streets  and  great  houses, 
which  belonged  to  the  princes  of  the  country,  the  privy 
councillors,  and  other  officers  of  state.  Their  numerous 
families,  who  were  obliged  likewise  to  remain  at  the 
court  the  whole  year  throughout,  were  also  lodged  here. 
At  the  first  gate  there  was  a strong  guard.  That  at  the 
second  gate  was  said  to  consist  of  a thousand  men.1  As 
soon  as  we  had  passed  through  this  gate,  having  previ- 
ously quitted  our  norimono,  we  were  conducted  to  an 
apartment,  where  we  waited  a full  hour.  At  last,  having 

1 From  Thunberg’s  account  of  the  arms  of  the  Japanese,  they  can- 
not be  regarded  as  very  formidable  soldiers.  He  mentions  bows  and 
arrows,  scymitars,  halberts,  and  guns.  Their  bows  are  very  large  and 
their  arrows  long,  like  those  of  the  Chinese.  The  bowman,  in  order  to 
shoot,  places  himself  on  one  knee,  a position  which  renders  it  impos- 
sible to  discharge  his  arrows  with  any  great  rapidity.  Guns  were  not 
ordinarily  employed.  Thunberg  saw  them,  apparently  matchlocks, 
only  as  articles  of  show  in  the  houses  of  the  imperial  officers,  displayed 
upon  a stand  in  the  audience  chamber.  The  few  cannon  at  Nagasaki, 
which  once  belonged  to  the  Portuguese,  were  discharged  only  once  in 
seven  years,  the  Japanese  knowing  little  or  not  at  all  the  proper  man- 
agement of  them,  and  fixing  the  match  to  a long  pole,  so  as  to  touch 
them  off  at  a safe  distance.  Their  longer  swords  are  broad-backed,  a 
little  curved,  a yard  long,  and  of  excellent  temper ; the  hilts  somewhat 
roundish  and  flat,  furnished  with  a round  substantial  guard  without 
any  bow.  The  scabbard  is  thick  and  rather  flat,  made  of  wood,  and 
sometimes  covered  with  shagreen  and  lackered.  The  shorter  sword  is 
straight.  These  swords  are  costly  and  rated  at  a high  value. 

From  a Japanese  work,  Siebold  states  their  method  of  making 
sword-blades  : “ The  blades,  forged  out  of  good  bar-steel,  are  plastered 
over  with  a paste  of  potash,  porcelain  clay,  and  pow’dered  charcoal, 
and  dried  in  the  sun.  They  are  next  exposed  to  the  fire  and  heated 
till  the  mass  assumes  a white  hue.  The  glowing  blades  are  then 
plunged  into  luke-warm  water,  three-fifths  boiling  to  two-fifths  cold, 
and  cooled  gradually.  Often  the  edge  only  is  heated,  and  then  the 
cooling  is  with  cold  water.  The  reforging  of  old  blades  is  not  uncom- 
mon.” Of  the  two  swords  worn  by  the  Japanese,  one  is  long  and 
slightly  curved,  the  other  short  and  straight.  [See  also  paper  on 
“Japanese  Armour,”  in  vol.  ix  of  the  Transactions  of  the  Asiatic 
Society  of  Japan.  — Ecu.] 


150 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


obtained  leave  to  approach  the  imperial  palace,  we  passed 
through  a long  lane  of  soldiers,  who  were  posted  on  both 
sides  quite  up  to  the  door  of  the  palace,  all  armed  and 
well  clothed. 

“The  emperor’s  private  palace  was  situated  on  an 
eminence,  and  although  it  consisted  of  one  story  only, 
still  it  was  much  higher  than  any  other  house,  and  cov- 
ered a large  tract  of  ground.  We  were  immediately 
conducted  into  an  antechamber,  where  we  again  waited 
at  least  an  hour.  Our  officers  sat  down  in  the  Japanese 
manner  on  one  side,  and  the  Dutchmen,  together  with 
the  interpreters,  on  the  other.  It  proved  extremely 
fatiguing  to  us  to  sit  in  their  manner ; and,  as  we  could 
not  hold  it  out  long  thus,  we  put  our  legs  out  on  one 
side  and  covered  them  with  our  long  cloaks,  which  in 
this  respect  were  of  great  service  to  us. 

“ The  time  we  waited  here  did  not  appear  long,  as 
great  numbers  of  people  passed  in  and  out,  both  in  order 
to  look  at  us  and  talk  with  us.  We  were  visited  by  sev- 
eral princes  of  the  country,  but  constantly  incognito , 
though  we  could  always  perceive  when  they  were  coming, 
from  the  murmuring  noise  which  was  at  first  heard  from 
the  inner  rooms,  and  the  silence  that  ensued  upon  it. 
Their  curiosity  was  carried  to  a great  length  in  every- 
thing ; but  the  chief  employment  they  found  for  us  was 
to  let  them  see  our  mode  of  writing.  We  were  thus 
induced  to  write  something  either  on  paper  or  on  their 
fans.  Some  of  them  showed  us  fans  on  which  the  Dutch 
had  formerly  written,  and  which  they  had  carefully 
treasured  up  as  great  rarities. 

“ At  last  the  instant  arrived  when  the  ambassador  was 
to  have  audience,  at  which  the  ceremony  was  totally 
different  from  that  which  was  used  in  Kiimpfer’s  time, 


THE  AUDIENCE-ROOM 


151 


we  remaining  in  the  apartment  into  which  we  had  been 
ushered. 

“After  the  return  of  the  ambassador  we  were  again 
obliged  to  stay  a long  while  in  the  antechamber,  in 
order  to  receive  the  visits  and  answer  the  questions 
of  several  of  the  courtiers,  several  times  during  whose 
entrance  a deep  silence  prevailed.  Among  these,  it 
was  said,  his  imperial  majesty  had  likewise  come  in- 
cognito, in  order  to  have  a nearer  view  of  the  Dutch 
and  their  dress.1  The  interpreters  and  officers  had 
spared  no  pains  to  find  out,  through  the  medium  of 
their  friends,  everything  that  could  tend  to  our  in- 
formation in  this  respect.  The  emperor  was  of  a middle 
size,  hale  constitution,  and  about  forty  and  odd  years 
of  age. 

“At  length,  after  all  the  visits  were  ended,  we  ob- 
tained leave  to  see  several  rooms  in  the  palace,  and 
also  that  in  which  the  ambassador  had  had  audience, 
and  which  has  already  been  described. 

“The  ambassador  was  conducted  by  the  outside  of 
the  anteroom  and  along  a boarded  passage  to  the  audi- 
ence-room, which  opened  by  a sliding-door.  The  inner 
room  consisted,  in  a manner,  of  three  rooms,  one  a step 
higher  than  the  other,  and,  according  to  the  measure 
I took  of  them  by  my  eye,  when  afterwards  permitted 
to  view  them,  of  about  ten  paces  each  in  length,  so 
that  the  distance  between  the  emperor  and  the  am- 
bassador might  be  about  thirty  paces.  The  emperor, 
as  I was  informed,  stood  during  the  audience,  in  the 
most  interior  part  of  the  room,  as  did  the  hereditary 

i This  appears  to  have  been  the  substitute  for  those  private  inter- 
views in  which  the  doctor  and  secretary  were  expected  to  show  off  for 
the  entertainment  of  the  Dutch,  and  of  which  Kiimpfer  has  given  so 
curious  an  account. 


152 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


prince  likewise,  at  bis  right  hand.  To  the  right  of 
this  room  was  a large  saloon,  the  floor  of  which  was 
covered  by  a hundred  mats,  and  hence  called  the  hun- 
dred-mat saloon.  It  is  six  hundred  feet  long  and 
three  hundred  broad,1  and  is  occupied  by  the  most 
dignified  men  of  the  empire,  privy  councillors,  and 
princes,  who  all,  on  similar  occasions,  take  their  seats 
according  to  their  different  ranks  and  dignity.  To 
the  left,  in  the  audience-room,  lay  the  presents,  sent 
beforehand,  and  piled  up  in  heaps.  The  whole  of  the 
audience  consists  merely  in  tliis,  that,  as  soon  as  the 
ambassador  enters  the  room,  he  falls  on  his  hands,  lays 
his  hand  on  the  mat,  and  bows  his  head  down  to  it, 
in  the  same  manner  as  the  Japanese  themselves  are 
used  to  testify  their  subjection  and  respect.  After  this 
the  ambassador  rises,  and  is  conducted  back  to  the 
anteroom  the  same  way  that  he  came. 

“ The  rest  of  the  rooms  which  we  viewed  had  no 
furniture  in  them.  The  floors  were  covered  with  large 
and  very  white  straw  mats ; the  cornices  and  doors 
were  handsomely  lackered,  and  the  locks,  hinges,  etc., 
well  gilt. 

“After  having  thus  looked  about  us,  we  were  con- 
ducted to  the  hereditary  prince’s  palace,  which  stood 
close  by,  and  was  separated  only  by  a bridge.  Here  we 
were  received  and  complimented  in  the  name  of  the 
hereditary  prince,  who  was  not  at  home;  after  which 
we  were  conducted  back  to  our  norimono. 

“ Although  the  day  was  already  far  advanced,  and 
we  had  had  sufficient  time  to  digest  our  early  breakfast, 

1 Tt  would  take  a thousand  of  the  ordinary  Japanese  mats  to  cover 
such  a floor ; but  Tliunberg  says  the  mats  upon  it  were  of  an  extra 
size. 


Industrial  Workers:  An  Umbrella-maker;  A Charcoal  ' under 


VISITS  TO  THE  HIGH  OFFICERS 


153 


we  were  nevertheless  obliged  to  pay  visits  to  all  the 
privy  councillors,  as  well  to  the  six  ordinary  as  to 
the  six  extraordinary,  at  each  of  their  respective 
houses.  And  as  these  gentlemen  were  not  yet  re- 
turned from  court,  we  were  received  in  the  most  polite 
manner  by  their  deputies,  and  exhibited  to  the  view 
of  their  ladies  and  children.  Each  visit  lasted  half 
an  hour;  and  we  were  for  the  most  part  so  placed  in 
a large  room  that  we  could  be  viewed  on  all  sides 
through  thin  curtains,  without  having  the  good  for- 
tune to  get  a sight  of  these  court  beauties,  excepting 
at  one  place,  where  they  made  so  free  as  not  only 
to  take  away  the  curtain,  but  also  desired  us  to  advance 
nearer.  In  general  we  were  received  by  two  gentlemen 
in  office,  and  at  every  place  treated  with  green  tea, 
the  apparatus  for  smoking,  and  pastry,  which  was  set 
before  each  of  us,  separately,  on  small  tables.  We 
drank  sometimes  a cup  of  the  boiled  tea,  but  did  not 
touch  the  tobacco,  and  the  pastry  was  taken  home 
through  the  prudent  care  of  our  interpreters. 

“ I shall  never  forget  the  delightful  prospect  we 
had  during  these  visits,  from  an  eminence  that  com- 
manded a view-  of  the  whole  of  this  large  and  extensive 
town,  which  the  Japanese  affirm  to  be  twenty-one 
leagues,  or  as  many  hours’  walk,  in  circumference. 
The  evening  drew  nigh  by  the  time  that  we  returned, 
weary  and  worn  out,  to  our  inn. 

“ On  the  following  day  (May  19)  we  paid  our  re- 
spects to  the  temple  lords,  as  they  are  called,  the  two 
governors  of  the  towm,  and  the  two  commissaries  of 
strangers.  A few  days  elapsed  after  this  before  we 
received  our  audience  of  leave.  This  wras  given,  in  a 
very  summary  manner,  on  the  23d  following,  and  only 


154 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


before  the  lords  in  council  appointed  for  this  purpose. 
The  intervening  days  were  employed  in  receiving  pres- 
ents and  preparing  for  our  departure.  At  the  audience 
of  leave  the  gowns  or  Japanese  dresses,  intended  as 
presents  for  the  Dutch  East  India  Company,  were  de- 
livered. The  presents  destined  for  us  were  carried  to 
our  inns.  Every  ordinary  privy  councillor  gives,  the  day 
after  the  audience  of  leave,  ten  gowns ; every  extraor- 
dinary privy  councillor,  six ; every  temple  lord,  five ; 
and  every  commissary,  and  the  governor  of  Nagasaki, 
two.  Of  these  our  banjoshu  (the  officers  called  by 
Kampfer  bugio  and  deputy-bugio,  — the  conductors  of 
the  journey)  received  two ; the  secretary  and  myself, 
two  apiece ; and  the  ambassador,  four.  The  rest  are 
packed  up  for  the  company’s  account.”  1 

Of  these  gowns,  the  universal  and  almost  only  article 
of  Japanese  dress,2  Thunberg,  in  another  place,  gives 
the  following  account:  “They  are  long  and  wide, 

and  worn,  one  or  more  of  them,  by  people  of  every 
age  and  condition  in  life.  The  rich  have  them  of  the 
finest  silk,  and  the  poor  of  cotton.  The  women  wear 
them  reaching  down  to  their  feet,  and  the  women  of 
quality  frequently  with  a train.  Those  of  the  men 
come  down  to  their  heels ; but  travellers,  together  with 
soldiers  and  laboring  people,  either  tuck  them  up  or 
wear  them  so  short  that  they  only  reach  to  their  knees. 
The  men  generally  have  them  made  of  plain  silk  of 
one  color;  but  the  silken  stuffs  worn  by  the  women 
are  flowered,  sometimes  in  gold.  In  the  summer  they 

1 This  was  a different  arrangement  from  that  which  prevailed  in 
Kampfer’s  time,  when  the  ambassador  had  the  whole,  except  those  pre- 
sented by  the  emperor  himself. 

2 See  paper  on  “ Japanese  Costume,”  in  vol.  viii  of  the  “ Transactions 
of  the  Asiatic  Society  of  Japan.”  — Edr. 


JAPANESE  COSTUME 


155 


are  either  without  any  lining  at  all,  or  else  with  a thin 
lining  only.  In  winter,  by  way  of  defence  against 
the  cold  weather,  they  are  quilted  with  cotton  or  silk 
wad.  The  men  seldom  wear  many  of  them,  but  the 
women  often  from  thirty  to  fifty  or  more,  and  all  so 
thin  that  together  they  hardly  weigh  more  than  four 
or  five  pounds.  The  undermost  serves  for  a shirt, 
and  is  therefore  either  white  or  bluish,  and  for  the 
most  part  thin  and  transparent.  All  these  gowns  are 
fastened  about  the  waist  by  a belt,  which  for  the  men 
is  about  the  breadth  of  a hand,  and  for  the  women  of 
twelve  inches,  and  of  such  length  as  to  go  twice  round 
the  body,  with  a large  knot  and  rose.  The  knot  worn 
by  the  fair  sex,  which  is  larger  than  that  worn  by 
the  men,  shows  immediately  whether  the  woman  is 
married  or  not;  as  the  married  women  wear  the  knot 
before,  and  the  single  behind.  The  men  fasten  to 
this  belt  their  sabres,1  fan,  tobacco  pipe  and  pouch. 
The  gowns  are  rounded  off  about  the  neck,  without  a 
cape,  open  before,  and  show  the  bare  bosom,  which  is 
never  covered,  either  with  a handkerchief  or  anything 
else.  The  sleeves  are  ill-shaped,  wide  and  long,  the 
openings  partly  sewed  up,  so  as  to  form  a bag,  into 
which  they  put  tlieir  hands  in  cold  weather,  or  use 
it  as  a pocket  to  hold  their  papers  and  other  things.2 
Young  girls,  in  particular,  have  the  sleeves  of  their 
gowns  so  long  as  frequently  to  reach  quite  down  to 

1 The  two  swords,  the  badge  of  nobility,  are  worn  stuck  into  the 
belt,  on  the  left  side,  with  no  belt  of  their  own,  a little  crosswise,  and 
with  the  edge  upwards.  When  a person  is  seated,  the  longer  sword  is 
taken  from  the  belt  and  laid  on  the  ground  by  him. 

2 The  bosom  of  the  gown  is  also  used  for  the  same  purpose.  For 
pocket-handkerchiefs,  the  Japanese  carry  about  them  a supply  of 
small,  square  bits  of  soft  paper,  which  they  throw  away  as  they  use 
them. 


156 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


the  ground.  On  account  of  the  width  of  their  garments, 
they  are  soon  dressed  and  undressed,  as  they  have 
nothing  more  to  do  than  to  untie  their  girdle  and 
draw  in  their  arms  when  the  whole  of  their  dress  in- 
stantly falls  off  of  itself.  The  gowns  serve  also  for 
bedclothes.  The  common  people,  when  at  work,  are 
frequently  seen  naked,  with  only  a girdle  about  them, 
or  with  their  gowns  taken  off  the  upper  part  of  their 
bodies,  and  hanging  down  loose  from  their  girdles. 
Men  of  a higher  rank  wear  over  the  long  gowns  a 
shorter  one,  made  of  some  thin  stuff,  such  as  gauze. 
As  to  the  neck  and  sleeves  of  it,  they  are  like  those 
of  the  other,  but  it  reaches  only  to  the  waist,  and  is 
not  fastened  with  a girdle,  but  tied  before  and  at 
the  top  with  a string.  This  half-gown  is  sometimes 
of  a yellow,  but  most  frequently  of  a black  color,  and 
is  laid  aside  at  home,  or  in  any  place  where  no  superior 
is  present.” 

As  the  Japanese  ordinarily  wear  no  covering  for  the 
legs,  feet,  or  head,  the  above-described  gowns  constitute 
their  entire  dress,  except  upon  occasions  of  ceremony, 
when  a complimentary  dress,  or  honor-gown,  Jcamishimo 
as  they  call  it,  is  added  to  it.  This  complimentary  dress 
consists  of  a frock,  generally  of  a blue  stuff,  with  white 
flowers  about  half  the  length  of  the  gown,  and  made 
much  in  the  same  Avay,  but  carried  on  each  side  back 
over  the  shoulders,  so  as  to  give  a very  broad-shouldered 
appearance  to  the  wearer.  To  this,  with  persons  of  a 
certain  rank,  is  added,  as  part  of  the  dress  of  ceremony, 
a garment  half  breeches,  half  petticoat,  as  if  it  were  a 
petticoat  sewed  up  between  the  legs,  but  left  open  at  the 
sides  for  two  thirds  their  length,  fastened  about  the  waist 
by  a band,  and  reaching  to  the  ankles. 


WORKS  ON  NATURAL  HISTORY 


157 


Before  leaving  Yedo,  Thunberg  purchased  a number 
of  botanical  books,  containing  very  indifferent  figures  of 
plants,  as  did  another  botanical  work,  in  twenty  thin 
octavo  volumes,  presented  to  him  by  one  of  his  medical 
pupils.  But  a large  printed 1 quarto,  which  he  pur- 
chased, contained  figures  of  Japanese  fishes,  engraved 
and  colored  in  such  superior  style  as  to  be  able  to  com- 
pete with  similar  European  works.  He  also  procured, 
though  the  selling  such  things  to  strangers  was  strictly 
prohibited,  a map  of  Japan,  with  plans  of  Yedo,  Miyako, 
and  Nagasaki,  exactly  like  those  brought  away  by  Kamp- 
fer,  and  engraved  in  his  work.  Just  before  his  departure, 
at  the  request  of  his  two  pupils  in  medicine,  he  gave  them 
a certificate  in  Dutch,  of  their  proficiency,  with  which 
they  were  as  highly  delighted  as  ever  a young  doctor  was 
with  his  diploma.  A warm  friendship  had  sprang  up 
between  him  and  them,  and,  even  after  Thunberg’s 
return  to  Europe,  a correspondence  was  kept  up  and 
presents  exchanged  for  some  years,  down  at  least  to  the 
publication  of  his  travels. 

According  to  Thunberg,  the  personages  composing  the 
imperial  court  were  in  his  time  so  little  known  that  very 
few  people  in  the  whole  empire  were  acquainted  with 
their  names.  M.  Feith,  the  director  whom  he  accom- 
panied to  Yedo,  and  who  had  been  on  the  same  embassy 
four  times  before,  and  had  lived  in  Japan  fourteen  years, 
was  obliged  to  confess  at  table,  after  their  return  to 
Batavia,  being  inquired  of  as  to  the  name  of  the  reigning 
emperor,  that  he  did  not  know  it,  and  never  had  heard 
it.2  It  was  only  through  the  friendship  of  his  medical 

1 The  Japanese  print  entirely  from  stereotype  plates.  They  do  not 
employ  movable  types,  and  they  print  on  one  side  of  the  paper  only. 

2 The  emperors  are  seldom  or  never  spoken  of,  in  the  Jesuit  letters 
and  other  contemporary  memorials,  by  their  personal  or  family  names, 


158 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


pupils  at  Yeclo,  and  of  tlie  chief  interpreter,  that  he 
obtained  a knowledge  of  it,  and  also  a list  of  the  emperors 
since  Kampfer’s  time,  which  he  gives  as  follows: 

1681,  Tsunayoshi  (reigning  when  Ivampfer  left 
Japan,  and  for  twelve  or  thirteen  years  previously). 
1709,  Iyenobu. 

1713,  Iyetsugu. 

1716,  Yoshimunr 
1745,  Iyeshige. 

1760,  Iyeharu,1  who  continued  to  reign  at  the  time  of 
Thunberg’s  departure,  being  the  forty-first  in  succession 
from  Yoritomo,  and  ninth  from  Iyeyasu,  otherwise  Daifu- 
Sama,  and  Ogoslio-Sama,  or,  as  he  was  called  after  his 
death,  Gongen-Sama,  by  whom  the  reigning  dynasty  had 
been  established. 

Thunberg  left  Yedo  on  his  return  the  25th  of  May. 
The  weather  being  rainy,  they  were  a good  deal  molested 
by  gnats,  against  which  they  had  to  protect  themselves 
by  gauze  curtains.  The  Japanese  fire-flies,  so  much  more 
brilliant  and  active  than  the  European  glow-worm,  were 
noticed  with  admiration. 

At  this  season  the  first  gathering  was  made  of  the  tea- 
leaves,  yet  quite  young  and  yielding  the  finer  kinds  of 
tea.  He  observed  in  some  places  the  leaves  carelessly 
spread  before  the  houses  on  mats  to  dry.  He  also 
observed  the  farmers,  in  several  places,  threshing  barley, 
wheat,  and  mustard  seed  on  similar  mats,  with  flails 
having  three  swingels,  or  sometimes  by  beating  the  ears 

but  only  by  some  title,  as  Kubo-Sama  ; Kwambaku-dono,  — the  Kwam- 
baku  (or  bonnet-keeper)  being  a high  dignitary  in  the  court  of  the 
Dairi,  regent  in  case  of  a minority  or  a female  Dairi ; — Taiko-Sama, 
mighty  lord;  Shogun-Sama,  etc.,  etc. 

1 For  a complete  list  of  Shoguns,  see  Appendix  III  of  Murray’s 
“Story  of  Japan.”  — Enis. 


FARMING 


150 


against  a tub.  To  separate  the  exterior  husk  from  the 
rice,  it  was  pounded  by  hand  in  a kind  of  mortar,  or  by 
means  of  a machine  consisting  of  a number  of  pestles  set 
in  motion  by  a water-wheel,  or  by  a man’s  foot.  After 
the  wheat  and  barley  were  gathered,  French  beans  (Pha- 
seoli)  were  sown  for  a second  crop.  He  observed  many 
kinds  of  peas  and  beans  cultivated,  especially  the  Doli- 
chos  soia,  not  only  used  for  making  soy,  but  the  chief 
ingredients  of  a soup,  a daily  dish  with  most  classes. 
The  Dolichos  polystachos,  which  ran  winding  like  scarlet 
beans,  was  employed  for  arbors.  Its  flowers,  hanging 
down  from  long  stalks,  were  very  ornamental,  and 
appeared  in  succession  for  a long  period.  He  mentions, 
also,  lettuce,  melons  both  with  red  and  white  pulp, 
pumpkins,  cucumbers,  eaten  both  raw  and  pickled, 
gourds,  employed  for  flasks,  mushrooms,  very  much  used, 
especially  for  soups  and  sauces,  Seville  and  China 
oranges,  lemons,  shaddocks,  medlars  (Mespillus  japonica), 
a large  sort  of  persimmon  ( Dyosperos  kulci),  grapes,  pome- 
granates, Spanish  figs  ( Cactus  ficus),  chestnuts,  and 
walnuts.1  The  condition  of  the  Japanese  farmer  Tlmn- 
berg  contrasts  very  favorably  with  that  of  the  Swedish 
agriculturalist,  overloaded  as  the  latter  was  with  feudal 
burdens,  though  doubtless  he  knew  better  these  burdens, 
which  he  indignantly  enumerates,  than  he  did  the  griev- 
ances of  the  Japanese  cultivator. 

At  Osaka  he  saw  the  smelting  of  copper  from  the  ores 
obtained  in  that  neighborhood,  and  the  method  of  casting 
it  into  bars.  A mould  was  made  for  this  purpose,  by 
digging  a hole  in  the  ground  a foot  deep,  across  which 

1 Kiimpfer  represents  the  Japanese  strawberry  as  entirely  insipid, 
and  the  raspberries  and  bramblcberries  as  not  agreeable ; and  Golow- 
nin,  from  his  own  experience,  agrees  with  him  in  this  statement. 


160 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


were  laid  ten  square  iron  bars,  barely  a finger’s  breadth 
apart.  A strip  of  sail-cloth  was  spread  over  these  bars 
and  forced  down.  The  hole  was  then  filled  with  water, 
and  the  melted  metal,  smelted  from  the  ore,  was  dipped 
up  in  iron  ladles  and  poured  into  this  mould,  thus  form- 
ing each  time  ten  or  eleven  thin  plates.  To  this  method 
of  casting  he  ascribes  its  high  color. 

Thunberg  had  an  opportunity  of  seeing  Japanese  plays, 
both  at  Osaka,  on  his  return  from  Miyako,  and  at  Naga- 
saki, during  the  annual  Matsuri  in  honor  of  Suwa,  which 
he  attended.  “ The  spectators,”  he  says,  “ sit  in  houses 
of  different  dimensions,  on  benches.  Facing  them,  upon 
an  elevated  but  small  and  narrow  place,  stands  the  thea- 
tre itself,  upon  which  seldom  more  than  one  or  two  actors 
perform  at  a time.  These  are  always  dressed  in  a very 
singular  manner,  according  as  their  own  taste  and  fancy 
suggest,  insomuch  that  a stranger  would  be  apt  to  believe 
that  they  exhibited  themselves  not  to  entertain,  but  to 
frighten,  the  audience.  Their  gestures  as  well  as  their 
dress  are  strangely  uncouth  and  extravagant,  and  consist 
in  artificial  contortions  of  the  body,  which  it  must  have 
cost  them  much  trouble  to  learn  and  perform.  In  gen- 
eral they  represent  some  heroic  exploit,  or  love  story,  of 
their  idols  and  heroes,  which  are  frequently  composed 
in  verse,  and  are  sometimes  accompanied  with  music.  A 
curtain  may,  it  is  true,  be  let  fall  between  the  actors  and 
the  spectators,  and  some  necessary  pieces  be  brought 
forward  upon  the  theatre ; but  in  other  respects  these 
small  theatres  have  no  machinery  nor  decorations  which 
can  entitle  them  to  be  put  in  comparison  with  those  of 
Europe. 

“ When  the  Japanese  wish  at  any  time  to  entertain 
the  Dutch,  either  in  the  town  of  Nagasaki,  or  more 


Interior  View  op  a Typical  Japanese  House 


CHARACTER  OF  THE  PEOPLE 


161 


particularly  during  their  journey  to  the  imperial  court, 
they  generally  provide  a band  of  female  dancers,  for  the 
amusement  of  their  guests.  These  are  generally  young 
damsels,  very  superbly  dressed,  whom  they  fetch  from 
the  inns ; sometimes  young  boys  likewise  are  mixed 
among  them.  Such  a dance  requires  always  a number 
of  persons,  who  turn  and  twine,  and  put  themselves  into 
a variety  of  artificial  postures,  in  order  to  represent  an 
amorous  or  heroic  deed,  without  either  speaking  or  sing- 
ing. Their  steps  are,  however,  regulated  by  the  music 
which  plays  to  them.  These  girls  are  provided  with  a 
number  of  very  fine  and  light  gowns,  made  of  silk,  which 
they  slip  off  one  after  another,  during  the  dance,  from 
the  upper  part  of  their  body,  so  as  frequently  to  leave 
them,  to  the  number  of  a dozen  together,  suspended  from 
the  girdle  which  encircles  their  loins.” 

Though  the  view  taken  by  Thunberg  of  the  Japanese 
presents  them  perhaps  not  quite  so  high  in  the  scale  of 
civilization  as  Kampfer’s,  yet  he  is  scarcely  less  their 
admirer,  coinciding,  indeed,  in  this  respect,  with  most  of 
the  Europeans  who  have  left  any  memorials  of  their 
observations  in  Japan.  He  notes  especially  their  cour- 
tesy, friendly  disposition,  ingenuity,  love  of  knowledge, 
justice,  honesty,  frugality,  cleanliness,  and  self-respect ; 
and  he  emphatically  repudiates  the  conclusion  that, 
because  the  laws  are  severe  and  strictly  executed,  the 
people  are  therefore  to  be  regarded  as  slaves.  These 
laws  are  for  the  public  good,  and  their  severity  ensures 
their  observance.  “ The  Japanese,”  he  tells  us,  “ hate 
and  detest  the  inhuman  traffic  in  slaves  carried  on  by  the 
Dutch,  and  the  cruelty  with  which  these  poor  creatures 
are  treated.” 

In  common  with  Kiimpfer  he  admires  and  extols  the 

VOL.  II.  — ll 


162 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


immutability  of  the  Japanese  laws  and  customs;  but 
this  seems  hardly  so  legitimate  a subject  of  eulogy 
as  the  peace  in  which  the  empire  is  kept,  the  plenty 
which  is  said  to  prevail,1  and  its  freedom  as  well  from 
internal  feuds,  political  or  religious,  as  from  foreign 
encroachments. 

Thunberg’s  “ Flora  Japonica  ” describes  about  a thou- 
sand species,  of  which  upwards  of  three  hundred  were 
new.  In  the  preface  to  it  he  speaks  of  the  Japanese 
Islands  as  chiefly  hills  and  valleys,  with  high  mountains. 
Plains  and  meadows  are  rare.  The  soil  is  now  clayey  and 
now  sandy.  The  summer  heat  is  great,  especially  in  July 
and  August,  sometimes  one  hundred  degrees  of  Fahren- 
heit, and  scarcely  tolerable  but  for  the  breeze.  In  winter 
the  thermometer,  even  in  the  most  southern  parts,  falls 
many  degrees  below  the  freezing-point,  especially  with 
the  wind  from  the  north  and  west,  with  ice  and  snow, 
which  on  the  highest  mountains  remains  all  the  year 
round.  The  changes  in  the  weather  are  great  and  sud- 
den ; violent  storms  with  thunder  and  lightning  are 
common.  The  rains  are  abundant  throughout  the  year? 
and  especially  so  in  spring  and  summer,  whence  in  part 
the  fertility  of  Japan,  mainly  due,  however,  to  careful 
cultivation. 

1 This  plenty  is  in  strong  contrast  with  the  famine,  scarcity,  and 
distress  frequently  noted  by  the  Jesuit  missionaries,  as  prevailing 
during  the  civil  wars  of  their  time ; yet,  even  at  present,  occasional 
seasons  of  scarcity  seem  to  occur. 


CHAPTER  XLI 


Isaac  Titsingh — His  Residence  in  Japan  — Translations  from  the  Japa- 
nese— Annals  of  the  Dairi  — Memoirs  of  the  Shogun  — Liberal  Ideas 
in  Japan  — Marriage  Ceremonies  — Funeral  Ceremonies  — Mourning 
— Feast  of  Lanterns  — A.  D.  1779-1791. 

SOON  after  Thunberg’s  departure,  he  had  a worthy 
successor  in  the  person  of  Mr.  Isaac  Titsingh,  the 
first  director  at  Deshima  since  the  time  of  Caron 
to  whom  we  are  indebted  for  any  information  about 
Japan.  Born  about  1740,  Titsingh  had  entered  early 
into  the  service  of  the  Dutch  East  India  Company. 
After  seven  years’  residence  at  Batavia,  he  was  sent  to 
Deshima,  as  director,  where  he  arrived  August  15,  1779, 
and  remained  till  November  29,  1780,  when  he  returned 
to  Batavia.  He  came  back  again  to  Japan  August  12, 
1781,  and  remained  till  November  6,  1783,  the  war  be- 
tween Holland  and  England,  growing  out  of  the  Ameri- 
can revolution,  having  prevented  the  arrival  of  any  ships 
from  Batavia  during  the  year  1782,  — an  event  of  which 
Titsingh  took  advantage  to  stipulate  for  a considerable 
advance  in  the  price  of  Dutch  imports,  for  a term  of 
fifteen  years.  He  reached  Nagasaki  a third  time,  August 
18,  1784,  but  left  again  November  26  of  the  same  year. 
During  his  first  and  second  visits  he  made  the  journey 
to  Yedo  as  Dutch  ambassador,  where  he  succeeded  in 
making  several  friends,  particularly  Kuchiki  Samon, 
prince  of  Tamba,  who  had  learned  Dutch,  which  he 
wrote  tolerably  well,  with  whom,  and  other  Japanese 


164 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


friends,  Titsingh  kept  up  a correspondence  for  some 
time  after  leaving  the  country. 

During  his  residence  in  Japan  he  made  a valuable  col- 
lection of  Japanese  curiosities,  including  many  Japanese 
books,  and  he  also  brought  home  with  him  translations 
of  some  of  these  books,  made  by  aid  of  Japanese  inter- 
preters attached  to  the  factory  at  Deshima,  whose  inter- 
pretations, given  viva  voce,  he  wrote  out  in  Dutch ; for 
though  Titsingh  knew  enough  of  Japanese  for  the  pur- 
poses of  conversation,  he  does  not  seem  to  have  acquired 
the  written  language,  nor  to  have  been  able  to  read  Chi- 
nese, of  which  the  characters  are  largely,  and,  indeed, 
chiefly,  employed  in  most  Japanese  works  of  much  pre- 
tensions. “I  found,”  he  says,  “ among  the  interpreters 
belonging  to  our  factor}-  four  individuals  sufficiently  well- 
informed  for  my  purpose ; a fifth  had  devoted  himself 
chiefly  to  medicine,  in  which  he  had  made  rapid  progress, 
in  consequence  of  the  instruction  given  to  him  by  Dr. 
Thunberg.  Far  from  finding  them  suspicious  and  reluc- 
tant, as  Europeans  are  usually  pleased  to  represent  these 
persons,  in  order  to  palliate  their  own  indolence,  they 
manifested,  on  the  contrary,  an  eagerness  to  procure  for 
me  every  practicable  information,  to  consult,  in  various 
matters  beyond  their  capacity,  the  best-informed  individ- 
uals among  the  magistrates  and  clergy,  and  to  furnish  me 
with  books  which  might  serve  as  a guide  to  my  labors.” 

After  leaving  Japan,  Titsingh  was  governor  at  the 
Dutch  factory  at  Chinsurah,  in  Bengal,  where  he  became 
acquainted  with  Sir  William  Jones.  In  1794  he  was 
sent,  with  Van  Braam,  on  a Dutch  embassy  to  Pekin, 
with  the  design  to  counterwork  the  English  embassy  of 
Lord  Macartney ; hut  this  residence  in  China  was  lim- 
ited to  a few  months. 


ISAAC  TITSINGH 


1G5 


Returning  to  Europe,  after  a residence  in  the  East  of 
thirty-three  years,  Titsingh  designed  to  publish  the  result 
of  his  Japanese  researches,  in  both  Dutch  and  French; 
but,  before  having  done  it,  he  died  at  Paris,  in  1812, 
leaving  his  large  fortune  and  his  collections  and  manu- 
scripts to  an  only  child  of  his,  by  an  Eastern  woman,  by 
whom  the  fortune  was  soon  spent,  and  the  manuscripts 
and  curiosities  sold  and  scattered,  though  some  of  them 
ultimately  fell  into  appreciating  hands.1 

Among  his  translations,  the  one  to  which  Titsingh 
ascribed  the  greatest  importance  was  that  of  the  “ Nip- 
pon Odai  Ichiran,”  an  abridged  Japanese  chronicle,  from 
600  A.  C.  to  A.  D.  1611,  compiled  in  the  year  1652,  and 
printed  at  Miyako.  Having  been  carefully  compared  by 
Klaproth  with  the  original,  — a task,  as  he  says,  from  the 
manifold  defects  of  Titsingh’s  version,  almost  equiva- 
lent to  a new  translation,  — and  having  been  enriched 
with  an  introduction,  a supplement  and  notes,  this  work 
was  published  in  1834,  in  French,  at  the  expense  of  the 
Oriental  Translation  Fund,  under  the  title  of  “ Annales 
des  Empereurs  du  Japan.” 

Though  highly  valuable  as  a specimen  of  what  Japa- 
nese histories  are,  and  though  Klaproth’s  introduction 
and  notes  contain  some  curious  information,  this  per- 
formance is,  on  the  whole,  exceedingly  dry,  while  it  adds 
but  little  to  the  abstract  given  by  Kampfer  of  this  or 

1 See  a notice  of  Titsingh’s  collection,  by  Re'musat,  in  “ Nouveau 
Melanges  Asiatique,”  vol.  i.  It  included,  besides  the  works  since  pub- 
lished, a manuscript  history  of  Japan,  in  eighty  volumes  (Japanese 
volumes  are  quite  thin),  also  a Chinese  Japanese  encyclopaedia,  several 
copies  of  a large  map  of  Japan,  colored  drawings  of  plants,  several 
botanical  treatises,  with  wood-cuts,  very  well  done,  etc.,  etc.  The 
encyclopaedia  was  presented  to  the  Bibliotheque  au  Roy,  and  Remusat 
has  given  a full  analysis  of  it  in  “ Notices  et  Extraits  des  Manuscrits," 
vol.  xi. 


166 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


some  other  similar  work.  A criticism  which  Titsingh 
himself  makes  upon  it,  in  a letter  to  the  prince  of 
Tamba,  to  whom  he  had  intended  to  dedicate  his  trans- 
lation, is  worthy  of  notice,  as  going  to  show  how  little, 
with  all  its  formal  precision  of  years  and  months,  the 
earlier  Japanese  chronology  is  entitled  to  historical 
respect. 

“ Must  we  not  suppose,”  says  Titsingh,  “ that  the 
Japanese,  so  jealous  of  their  neighbors,  the  Chinese, 
have,  in  writing  their  own  history,  endeavored  to  fill  up 
many  gaps  in  it  by  prolonging  the  reigns  of  their  earlier 
Dairi  ? There  is  in  your  history  a period  of  one  thou- 
sand and  sixty-one  years  occupied  by  the  reigns  of  only 
sixteen  Dairi.  The  duration  of  the  life  of  Jimmu,  of 
the  reigns  of  Koan,  of  Suijin,  and  the  life  of  Ojin, 
appear  altogether  improbable.  The  first  died  at  the  age 
of  one  hundred  and  twenty-seven  years.  The  second 
reigned  one  hundred  and  two  years,  the  third  ninety- 
nine  years.  The  last  lived  one  hundred  and  ten  }rears. 
These  statements  are  too  extraordinary  to  be  blindly 
believed.  Grant,  even,  that  a chaste  and  frugal  way 
of  living  may  have  secured  for  these  princes  a very 
advanced  age,  but  how  does  it  happen  that,  after  Nintoku 
Tenno  (the  seventeenth  Dairi),  none  exceeded  the  ordi- 
nary limit  of  human  life  ? 

The  Japanese  still  cling  with  tenacity  to  the  formal 
recognition  of  the  absolute  rights  of  the  Dairi.  With 
as  much  warmth  as  a loyal  Englishman  would  exhibit 
in  maintaining  the  actual  sovereignty  of  Queen  Victoria, 
they  insisted  to  Titsingh  — and  the  same  tiling  after- 
wards occurred  to  Golownin  — that  Europeans  were  mis- 
taken in  applying  the  term  “ emperor  ” to  the  Sho- 
gun, the  Dairi  being  the  only  legal  emperor,  and  the 


THE  DAIRI  AM)  THE  SHOGUN 


107 


Shogun  but  an  officer  to  whom  the  Dairi  had  entrusted 
the  administration.1 

The  annual  visit  of  the  Shogun  to  the  Dairi,  made 
in  Caron’s  time,  had  been  discontinued ; but  mutual 
embassies  are  still  exchanged,  and  the  envoys  sent  from 
the  Dairi  are  received  by  the  Slibgun  as  if  they  were 
the  Dairi  himself.  The  Shogun  goes  to  meet  them, 
and  conducts  them  to  the  hall  of  audience,  where  he 
performs  the  kito,  bending  before  them  till  bis  head 
touches  the  mats,  as  if  they  were  the  very  Dairi. 
This  homage  finished,  the  Shogun  resumes  his  rank, 
and  the  ambassadors  then  perform  the  kito  to  him. 
During  their  stay  they  are  entertained  by  two  persons, 
who,  from  the  allowance  made  for  it,  find  this  office 
very  lucrative.  The  ambassadors  also  receive  rich  pres- 
ents, not  only  at  Yedo,  but  all  along  the  route,  and 
the  attendance  upon  this  service,  even  in  an  inferior 
capacity,  is  so  lucrative  as  to  be  eagerly  coveted  by 
the  poor  courtiers  of  the  Dairi.  Titsingh  encountered 
one  of  these  embassies  on  his  return  from  Yedo,  in 
1782,  and  was  obliged  to  stop  a whole  day,  and  to  lodge 
in  a citizen’s  house,  all  the  horses,  porters,  and  inns 
being  taken  up  by  the  embassy.  However  poor  and 
powerless,  the  courtiers  of  the  Dairi  still  enjoy  all 
the  outward  observances  of  superior  rank.  The  first 

1 Theoretically  the  Shogun  is  but  an  inferior  officer  at  the  court  of 
the  Dairi.  The  first  rank  belongs  to  the  Kwambaku,  who  represents 
the  Dairi  when  that  dignity  devolves  on  a woman  or  a child.  The 
Shogun,  it  is  said,  cannot  hold  this  office.  It  was  assumed,  however, 
by  Taikd-sama,  and  even  conferred  by  him  on  his  presumptive  heir. 
Ordinarily  the  Daijo  daijin,  or  president  of  the  council,  is  the  first 
officer;  then  follow  the  Sadaijin  and  Udaijin,  officers  of  the  left  and 
of  the  right  hand.  These  constitute  the  Dairi’s  council,  and  theoreti- 
cally the  Shogun  can  do  nothing  without  their  consent.  It  is  esteemed 
a great  honor  to  the  Shogun  to  receive  even  the  third  of  these  titles. 


168 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


princes  of  the  empire  must  pay  them  the  homage  of 
the  kito,  and  must  lay  aside  their  two  swords  in  their 
presence.  For  this  reason,  these  princes,  in  going  and 
returning  to  Yedo,  carefully  avoid  passhig  through 
Miyako. 

A more  interesting  publication,  from  the  manuscript 
of  Titsingh,  and  one  which  appeared  earlier,  is  “Memoirs 
of  the  Djogouns”  [Shoguns],  which  had  itself  been  pre- 
ceded by  a number  of  other  pieces,  translations  and 
originals.1  These  memoirs  profess  to  be  compiled  from 
Japanese  manuscripts,  of  which  Titsingh  gives  the  follow- 
ing account:  “Since  the  accession  of  Gongen,  founder 

of  the  present  dynasty,  the  printing  of  any  w ork  relating 
to  the  government  has  been  prohibited.  The  curious, 
however,  possess  manuscript  accounts  of  all  the  remark- 
able events  that  have  occurred.  These  manuscripts 
are  in  great  request.  The  conduct  of  persons  of  ele- 
vated rank  is  sometimes  as  freel}'  censured  in  them  as 
it  would  be  in  any  country  in  Europe.  The  obstruc- 
tions which  the  government  throws  in  the  way  of  the 
publication  of  historical  works  prevent  these  works 
from  being  known,  and  thus  obviate  whatever  might 
make  an  obnoxious  impression  on  the  minds  of  the 
people,  and  endanger  the  interests  of  the  reigning 
dynasty,  as  well  as  the  tranquillity  of  the  empire.  From 
some  of  these  manuscripts  are  extracted  the  particular’s 
here  submitted  to  the  public.  The  Japanese,  to  whom 
they  belong,  keep  them  carefully  concealed,  so  that  it 
is  difficult  to  procure  a sight  of  them.  If  I was  for- 
tunate enough  to  obtain  the  communication  of  those 

1 There  is  no  sucli  consonant  as  Dj  in  Japanese,  and  the  proper 
reading  is  not  Djogoun,  but  Shogun.  An  English  translation,  includ- 
ing both  tlie  Memoirs  of  the  Djogouns  and  the  other  pieces,  was  pub- 
lished at  London,  in  1822,  with  the  title  of  “Illustrations  of  Japan.” 


MEMOIRS  OF  THE  SHOGUNS 


169 


from  which  I have  extracted  such  curious  notes,  I am 
indebted  for  it  to  the  ardent  zeal  with  which  my  friends 
assisted  me  in  all  my  researches.”  M.  Abel  Remusat, 
the  learned  Orientalist,  who,  at  the  request  of  the 
French  publisher,  prefixed  some  preliminary  observa- 
tions to  this  publication,  observes  that,  “ Thanks  to 
the  pains  M.  Titsingh  has  taken,  we  shall  outstrip 
the  Japanese  themselves,  and,  by  an  extraordinary  sin- 
gularity, we  shall  be  earlier  and  better  informed  than 
they  concerning  the  events  of  their  own  history.” 
This  publication  in  Europe  of  Japanese  history  is  not, 
however,  so  much  a singularity  as  M.  Rdmusat  seems 
to  suppose.  The  letters  of  the  Jesuit  missionaries  fur- 
nished contemporary  details  of  Japanese  history  ex- 
tending over  a period  of  more  than  seventy  year’s,  and 
including  the  establishment  of  the  present  system  of 
government,  far  more  full  and  authentic,  we  may  well 
believe,  than  anything  which  the  Japanese  themselves 
possess,  and  far  exceeding  anything  contained  in  this 
book  of  Titsingh’s  whom  M.  Remusat,  perhaps  in 
rather  too  complimentary  a spirit,  places  on  a level 
with  Kampfer,  and  in  advance  of  Thunberg,  as  a con- 
tributor to  our  knowledge  of  Japan. 

The  memoirs  of  the  Shoguns,  made  up  of  detached 
fragments,  in  general  very  jejune,  contain,  however,  a 
few  anecdotes,  which  serve  to  illustrate  the  ideas  and 
manners  of  the  Japanese.  The  Kubo-Sama  reigning 
in  Kampfer’s  time  is  stated  to  have  been  stabbed,  in 
1709,  by  his  wife,  a daughter  of  the  Dairi,  because, 
being  childless,  he  persisted  in  selecting  as  his  successor 
a person  very  disagreeable  to  all  the  princes  — an  act 
which  causes  her  memory  to  be  held  in  high  honor. 

One  of  the  longest  of  these  fragments  relates  to  an 


170 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


alleged  conspiracy,  in  the  year  17G7,  against  the  reign- 
ing Shogun,  for  which  a number  of  persons  suffered 
death.  There  is,  also,  an  account  of  an  extensive 
volcanic  eruption,  which  took  place  in  September,  1783, 
in  the  interior  of  the  island  of  Nippon,  in  the  province 
of  Shinano,  northwest  of  Yedo  and  north  of  Osaka. 
The  mountain  Asama  vomited  sand,  ashes,  and  pumice- 
stones  ; the  rivers  flowing  from  it  were  heated  boiling- 
hot,  and  their  dammed-up  waters  inundated  the  country. 
Twenty-seven  villages  were  swallowed  up,  and  many 
people  perished. 

The  councillor  of  state,  Tanuma  Yamashiro-no-Kami, 
was  assassinated  the  next  year  (1781),  in  the  emperor’s 
palace ; but  of  this  event,  and  of  others  connected  with 
it,  Titsingh  gives  a fuller  explanation  in  his  Introduction 
to  the  Japanese  “ Marriage  Ceremonies.”  He  there  in- 
forms us  that  “though  many  Japanese  of  the  highest 
distinction,  and  intimately  acquainted  with  matters  of 
government,  still  consider  Japan  as  the  first  empire 
of  the  world,  and  care  but  little  for  what  passes  out 
of  it,  yet  such  persons  are  denominated  by  the  more 
enlightened  I no  uchi  no  Kayeru , — that  is,  ‘Frogs  in 
a well,’  — a metaphorical  expression,  which  signifies  that 
when  they  look  up  they  can  see  no  more  of  the  sky 
than  what  the  small  circumference  of  the  well  allows 
them  to  perceive.”  Of  this  more  enlightened  party 
was  the  extraordinary  councillor,  Matsudaira  Tsu,  who 
proposed,  in  1769,  the  building  of  ships,  and  junks 
suitable  for  foreign  voyages ; but  this  plan  was  put  a 
stop  to  by  his  death. 

Tango-no-Kami,  the  governor  of  Nagasaki,  one  of 
this  more  liberal  party,  with  whom  Titsingh,  while 
director,  kept  up  a secret  intercourse,  proposed  to  him, 


COUNCILLOR  TANUMA 


171 


in  1783,  to  bring  carpenters  from  Batavia,  to  instruct 
the  Japanese  in  building  vessels,  especially  for  the 
transport  of  copper  from  Osaki  to  Nagasaki,  in  which 
service  many  Japanese  vessels  had  been  lost,  with  their 
cargoes ; but  tliis  Titsingh  knew  to  be  impossible,  as 
skilful  carpenters  were  too  rare  at  Batavia  to  be  spared. 
He  therefore  proposed  to  take  with  him,  on  his  return 
to  Batavia,  a number  of  Japanese  to  be  instructed 
there;  but  the  prohibition  against  any  native  leaving 
the  country  proved  an  insurmountable  obstacle.  He 
then  promised  to  have  a model  ship  built  at  Batavia, 
and  conveyed  to  Nagasaki,  which  was  done  by  liim- 
self,  on  his  last  visit  to  Japan ; but  the  assassination 
of  Tanuma,  above  mentioned,  which  had  happened 
during  his  absence  at  Batavia,  put  an  end  to  all  hopes 
that  had  been  formed  of  a modification  in  the  ex- 
clusive policy  of  the  Japanese. 

This  Tanuma  (uncle  of  the  ShSgun)  was,  according 
to  Titsingh’s  account,  a young  man  of  uncommon  merit 
and  liberal  ideas,  and  the  anti-frog-in-a-well  party  flat- 
tered themselves  that,  when  he  should  succeed  his  father, 
he  would,  as  they  expressed  it,  “widen  the  road.” 
After  his  appointment  as  extraordinary  councillor,  he 
and  his  father  incurred,  as  Titsingh  states,  the  hatred 
of  the  grandees  of  the  court,  by  introducing  various 
innovations,  which  the  “Frogs  in  a well”  censured 
as  detrimental  to  the  empire.  It  was  to  this  feeling 
that  his  assassination  was  ascribed,  a crime  which  put 
an  end  to  the  hopes  which  had  begun  to  be  enter- 
tained of  seeing  Japan  opened  to  foreigner's,  and  of 
its  inhabitants  being  allowed  to  visit  other  countries. 

The  appetite  for  foreign  knowledge  which  Thun- 
berg  had  noticed  was  also  observed  by  Titsingh, 


172 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


“During  my  residence  in  Japan,”  so  he  writes  in  the 
above-quoted  Introduction,  “ several  persons  of  quality, 
at  Yedo,  Miyako,  and  Osaka,  applied  themselves  assid- 
uously to  the  acquisition  of  the  Dutch  language  and 
the  reading  of  our  books.  The  prince  of  Satsuma, 
father-in-law  of  the  present  Shogun,  used  our  alphabet 
to  express  in  his  letters  what  he  wished  a third  person 
not  to  understand.  The  surprising  progress  made  by 
the  prince  of  Tamba,  by  Katsuragawa  Hozan,  physician 
to  the  Shogun,  and  N akagawa  Junan,  physician  to 
the  prince  of  Wakasa,1  and  several  others,  enabled 
them  to  express  themselves  more  clearly  than  many 
Portuguese  born  and  bred  among  us  at  Batavia.  Con- 
sidering the  short  period  of  our  residence  [he  means, 
apparently,  the  stay  of  the  Dutch  embassy]  at  Yedo, 
such  proficiency  cannot  but  excite  astonishment  and 
admiration.  The  privilege  of  corresponding  with  the 
Japanese,  above  mentioned,  and  of  sending  them  back 
their  answers  corrected,  without  the  letters  being  opened 
by  the  government,  allowed  through  the  special  favor 
of  the  worthy  governor,  Tango-no-Kami,  facilitated  to 
them  the  learning  of  Dutch.” 

In  1786,  the  reigning  Shogun,  Iyeharu,  died,  and  was 
succeeded  by  an  adopted  son,  Iyenari,  who  was  his  distant  • 
cousin,  being  a great-grandson  of  his  great-grandfather. 
This  prince  was  married  to  a daughter  of  the  prince  of 
Satsuma,  and  that  is  stated  to  have  been  a principal  rea- 
son for  his  adoption,  it  being  the  policy  of  the  Shoguns 
thus  to  secure  the  attachment  of  the  most  powerful 
princes.  The  reigning  family  is  thus  allied  to  the  princes 
of  Kaga,  Satsuma,  Yechizen,  Nagato,  and  Oshu,  while 

1 These  two  were  the  very  pupils  of  Thunberg,  though  he  writes 
their  names  somewhat  differently. 


POWER  OF  THE  PRINCES 


173 


the  houses  of  Ovvari,  Ivishu,  and  Mito  are  descended  from 
the  sons  of  Gongen,  from  among  whom,  in  case  of  failure 
of  heirs,  the  Shogun  is  selected.  These  princes  of  the 
first  class,  notwithstanding  the  jealous  supremacy  of  the 
emperors,  still  retain  certain  privileges.  According  to 
Titsingh,  they  enjoy  absolute  power  in  their  own  palaces, 
with  the  right  of  life  and  death  over  their  dependents ; 
nor,  in  case  they  commit  crimes,  has  the  emperor  any 
authority  to  put  them  to  death.  lie  can  only,  with  the 
Dairi’s  assistance,  compel  them  to  resign  in  favor  of 
their  sons. 

In  1788,  a terrible  fire  occurred  at  Miyako,  by 
which  almost  the  entire  city,  including  the  palace  of 
the  Dairi,  was  destroyed.  The  particulars  of  this 
event  were  communicated  to  Titsingh  by  his  Japanese 
correspondents. 

Early  in  1792,  the  summit  of  the  Onsen-ga-Take 
(High  mountain  of  warm  springs),  in  the  province  of 
Hizen,  west  of  Shimabara,  sank  entirely  down.  Torrents 
of  boiling  water  issued  from  all  parts  of  the  deep  cavity 
thus  formed,  and  a vapor  arose  like  thick  smoke.  Three 
weeks  aftei',  there  was  an  eruption  from  a crater,  about 
half  a league  from  the  summit.  The  lava  soon  reached 
the  foot  of  the  mountain,  and  in  a few  days  the  country 
was  in  flames  for  miles  around.  A month  after,  the 
whole  island  of  Kiushiu  was  shaken  by  an  earthquake, 
felt  principally,  however,  in  the  neighborhood  of  Shima- 
bara. It  reduced  that  part  of  the  province  of  Higo 
opposite  Shimabara  to  a deplorable  condition,  and  even 
altered  the  whole  outline  of  the  coast,  sinking  many  ves- 
sels which  lay  in  the  harbors.  This  is  the  event  of  the 
latest  date  mentioned  by  Titsingh.  A plan  of  the  erup- 
tion, furnished  by  one  of  his  Japanese  correspondents, 


174 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


also  one  of  the  eruption  in  Shinano  in  1783,  is  given 
in  the  “ Illustrations  of  Japan.” 

The  matter  upon  which  Titsingh  throws  the  most  light 
is  the  marriage  and  funeral  ceremonies  of  the  Japanese, 
as  to  which  he  gives  a translation,  or  rather  an  abridg- 
ment, of  two  Chinese  works,  received  as  authority  in 
Japan,  as  to  the  etiquette  to  be  observed  on  these  occa- 
sions, at  the  same  time  noting  the  variations  introduced 
by  the  Japanese. 

The  system  of  Japanese  manners,  being  based  on  that 
of  the  Chinese,  abounds  in  punctilios,  and  the  higher  the 
rank  of  the  parties  concerned,  the  more  these  punctilios 
are  multiplied.  This  applies  to  marriages  1 as  to  other 
things.  The  treatise  which  Titsingh  follows  relates  only 
to  the  marriages  of  what  we  should  call  the  middle  class 
(including  merchants,  artisans,  etc.),  who,  though  often 
possessed  of  considerable  wealth,  hold  in  Japan  much 
the  same  subordinate  position  held  prior  to  the  French 
revolution  by  the  corresponding  class  in  France. 

With  persons  of  high  rank,  marriages  are  made  en- 
tirely from  family  convenience ; even  with  those  of  the 
middle  class  they  are  also  much  based  on  prudential  con- 
siderations. Formerly,  the  bridegroom  never  saw  the 
bride  till  she  entered  his  house,  which  she  does,  preceded 
by  a woman  bearing  a lantern,  which  originally  served 
the  bridegroom  to  catch  his  first  glimpse  of  the  bride, 
and,  if  he  did  not  like  her  looks,  the  match  might  bo 
broken  off,  and  the  bride  sent  home.  “ Such  cases,”  says 
Titsingh,  “ formerly  occurred ; but,  at  present,  beauty  is 
held  in  much  less  estimation  than  fortune  and  high  birth, 
— advantages  to  which  people  would  once  have  been 

1 See  also  paper  in  vol.  xiii  of  the  “ Transactions  of  the  Asiatic  Soci- 
ety of  Japan.”  — Edr. 


MARRIAGE  CEREMONIES 


175 


ashamed  to  attach  so  much  value,  and  the  custom  has 
been  by  degrees  entirely  laid  aside,  on  account  of  the 
mortification  which  it  must  give  to  the  bride.  At  pres- 
ent, when  a young  man  has  any  intention  of  marrying  a 
female,  whom  he  deems  likely,  from  the  situation  of  her 
parents,  to  be  a suitable  match,  he  first  seeks  to  obtain  a 
sight  of  her.  If  he  likes  her  person,  a mediator,  selected 
from  among  his  married  friends,  is  sent  to  negotiate  a 
match.  People  of  quality  have  neither  lantern  nor  medi- 
ator, because  the  parents  affiance  the  children  in  infancy, 
and  marriage  always  follows.  Should  it  so  happen  that 
the  husband  dislikes  the  wife,  he  takes  as  many  concu- 
bines as  he  pleases.  This  is  also  the  ease  among  persons 
of  the  inferior  classes.  The  children  are  adopted  by  the 
wife,  who  is  respected  in  proportion  to  the  number  of 
which  she  is  either  the  actual  or  nominal  mother.” 

Formerly  the  bride  was  not  allowed,  in  case  of  the 
bridegroom’s  death  before  the  consummation  of  the 
nuptials,  to  many  again.  A moving  story  is  told  of  a 
romantic  Japanese  young  lady,  who,  being  urged  by  her 
friends  to  a second  betrothal,  to  avoid  such  a sacrifice  of 
her  delicacy,  cut  off  her  hair,  and,  when  that  would  not 
answer,  her  nose  also.  But  this  antique  constancy  has, 
in  these  latter  depraved  times,  — depraved  in  Japan  as 
well  as  elsewhere,  — entirely  disappeared,  as  well  among 
the  nobility  as  the  common  people. 

The  match  having  been  agreed  upon,  the  bridegroom’s 
father  sends  a present  — nothing  is  done  in  Japan  with- 
out presents  — to  the  bride’s  father.  The  bearer,  accom- 
panied by  the  mediator,  delivers  not  only  the  presents 
and  a written  list  or  invoice  of  them,  but  a compli- 
mentary message  also.  For  these  presents  a written 
receipt  is  given,  and,  three  days  after,  the  bearer  and 


176 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


those  who  attended  him  are  complimented  by  a counter 
present. 

The  following  articles  are  then  got  ready  at  the  bride’s 
house  by  the  way  of  outfit:  A white  wedding-dress, 
embroidered  with  gold  or  silver;  four  other  dresses,  one 
with  a red,  a second  with  a black  ground,  one  plain 
white ; a fourth  plain  yellow ; a number  of  gowns,  both 
lined  and  single,  and  all  the  other  requisites  of  a ward- 
robe, as  girdles,  bathing-gowns,  under  robes,  both  fine 
and  coarse,  a thick-furred  robe  for  a bed-gown ; a mat- 
tress to  sleep  on  ; bed-clothes ; pillows  ; gloves ; carpets ; 
bed-curtains  ; a silk  cap ; a furred  cotton  cap ; long  and 
short  towels  ; a cloak ; a covering  for  a norimono ; a bag 
with  a mixture  of  bran,  wheat,  and  dried  herbs,  to  be  used 
in  washing  the  face ; also  a bag  of  tooth-picks,  some 
skeins  of  thin  twine,  made  of  twisted  paper,  for  tying 
up  the  hair ; a small  hand-mirror ; a little  box  of  medi- 
cines ; a small  packet  of  the  best  columbac,  for  painting 
the  lips ; several  kinds  of  paper  for  doing  rip  packages ; 
also  paper  for  writing  letters ; a koto  (a  kind  of  harp) ; 
a samisen  (a  sort  of  guitar) ; a small  chest  for  holding 
paper ; an  inkhorn ; a pin-cushion ; several  sorts_  of 
needles ; a box  of  combs ; a mirror  with  its  stand ; a 
mixture  for  blacking  the  teeth  (the  distinguishing  mark 
of  married  women  in  Japan,  some  blackening  them  the 
moment  they  are  married,  and  others  when  they  become 
pregnant);  curling-tongs  for  the  hair ; scissors;  a letter- 
case  ; a case  of  razors  ; several  small  boxes,  varnished  or 
made  of  osier;  dusters;  a case  of  articles  for  dressing 
the  hair ; an  iron  for  smoothing  linen ; a large  osier 
basket  to  hold  the  linen ; a tub  with  handles ; a small 
dagger,  with  a white  sheath,  in  a little  bag  (thought  to 
drive  away  evil  spirits  and  to  preserve  from  infectious 


MARRIAGE  CEREMONIES 


177 


exhalations, — a quality  ascribed  also  to  the  swords  worn 
by  the  men)  ; complimentary  cards,  made  of  paper,  vari- 
ously colored,  and  gilt  or  silvered  at  the  ends,  to  tie 
round  presents ; noshi,  a species  of  edible  sea- weed,  of 
which  small  pieces  are  attached  to  every  congratulatory 
present ; silk  thread ; a small  tub  to  hold  flax ; several 
slender  bamboos,  used  in  hanging  out  clothes  to  dry ; 
circular  fans  ; common  fans;  fire-tureens;  and  — what 
certainly  ought  to  form  a part  of  the  bridal  outfit  of  our 
city  belles  — a small  bench  for  supporting  the  elbows 
when  the  owner  has  nothing  to  do ! Several  books  are 
also  added,  poems  and  stories,  moral  precepts,  a book  on 
the  duties  of  woman  in  the  married  state,  and  another  — 
the  very  one  we  are  now  giving  an  abstract  of  — on  the 
etiquette  of  the  marriage  ceremony.  T wo  different  kinds 
of  dressing-tables  are  also  provided,  containing  many  of 
the  above-mentioned  articles;  also  a number  of  other 
housekeeping  utensils. 

When  these  things  are  ready,  the  mediator  and  his 
wife  are  invited  to  the  house  of  the  bride’s  father,  and 
entertained  there.  A lucky  day  is  selected  for  sending 
the  above-mentioned  articles,  accompanied  by  a written 
list,  to  the  bridegroom’s  house.  The  mediator  is  present 
to  assist  in  receiving  them,  and  a formal  receipt  is  given, 
as  well  as  refreshments  and  presents  to  the  bearers  in 
proportion  to  the  value  of  the  articles  brought. 

On  the  day  fixed  for  the  marriage,  an  intelligent 
female  servant  of  the  second  class 1 is  sent  to  the  house 

1 There  are  three  classes  of  women-servants.  Those  of  the  first 
class  make  the  clothes  of  the  mistress,  dress  her  hair,  and  keep  her 
apartments  in  order.  Those  of  the  second  wait  on  her  at  meals,  ac- 
company her  when  she  goes  abroad,  and  attend  to  other  domestic 
duties.  Those  of  the  third  are  employed  in  cooking  and  various  men- 
ial offices. 

VOL.  II.  — 12 


178 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


of  the  bride  to  attend  her,  and  the  bride’s  father,  having 
invited  all  his  kinsfolk,  entertains  them  previous  to  the 
bride’s  departure. 

The  bridal  party  sets  out  in  norimono,  the  mediator’s 
wife  first,  then  the  bride,  then  the  bride’s  mother,  and, 
finally,  her  father.  The  mediator  has  already  preceded 
them  to  the  bridegroom’s  house.  The  bride  is  dressed 
in  white  (white  being  the  color  for  mourning  among  the 
Japanese),  being  considered  as  thenceforward  dead  to 
her  parents. 

If  all  the  ceremonies  are  to  be  observed,  there  should 
be  stationed,  at  the  right  of  the  entrance  to  the  house  of 
the  bridegroom,  an  old  woman,  and  on  the  left  an  old 
man,  each  with  a mortar  containing  some  rice-cakes.  As 
the  bride’s  norimono  reaches  the  house,  they  begin  to 
pound  their  respective  mortars,  the  man  saying,  “ A 
thousand  years!”  the  woman,  “Ten  thousand!”  — 
allusions  to  the  reputed  terms  of  life  of  the  crane  and 
the  tortoise  thus  invoked  for  the  bride.  As  the  norimono 
passes  between  them,  the  man  pours  his  cakes  into  the 
woman’s  mortar,  and  both  pound  together.  What  is 
thus  pounded  is  moulded  into  two  cakes,  which  are  put 
one  upon  another  and  receive  a conspicuous  place  in 
the  toko1  of  the  room  where  the  marriage  is  to  be 
celebrated. 

The  norimono  is  met  within  the  passage  by  the  bride- 
groom, who  stands  in  his  dress  of  ceremony  ready  to 
receive  it.  There  is  also  a woman  seated  there  with  a 
lantern,  and  several  others  behind  her.  It  was,  as  already 
mentioned,  by  the  light  of  this  lantern  that  formerly  the 

1 The  toko,  as  already  described  in  Chapter  XXXII,  is  a sort  of  re- 
cess, or  open  closet,  opposite  the  entrance,  considered  the  most  honor- 
able place  in  the  room.  The  above  ceremony  might  call  to  mind  the 
confarratio  of  the  ancient  ltoman  marriage. 


From  Official  History  of  Japan 


MARRIAGE  CEREMONIES 


179 


groom  first  saw  his  bride,  and,  if  dissatisfied  with  her,  ex- 
ercised his  right  of  putting  a stop  to  the  ceremony.  The 
bride,  on  seeing  the  bridegroom,  reaches  to  him,  through 
the  front  window  of  her  norimono,  her  mamori,1  and  he 
hands  it  to  a female  servant  who  takes  it  into  the  apart- 
ment prepared  for  the  wedding  and  hangs  it  up.  The 
bride  is  also  led  to  her  apartment,  the  woman  with  the 
lantern  preceding. 

The  marriage  being  now  about  to  take  place,  the  bride 
is  led  by  one  of  her  waiting-women  into  the  room  where 
it  is  to  be  celebrated,  and  is  seated  there  with  two  female 
attendants  on  either  side.  The  bridegroom  then  leaves 
his  room  and  comes  into  this  apartment.  No  other  per- 
sons are  present  except  the  mediator  and  his  wife.  The 
formality  of  the  marriage  consists  in  chinking  sake  after 
a particular  manner.  The  sake  is  poured  out  by  two 
young  girls,  one  of  whom  is  called  the  male  butterfly, 
and  the  other  the  female  butterfly,  — appellations  derived 
from  their  susu,  or  sake- jugs,  each  of  which  is  adorned 
with  a paperdmtterfly.  As  these  insects  always  fly  about 
in  pairs,  it  is  intended  to  intimate  that  so  the  husband 
and  wife  ought  to  be  continually  together.  The  male 
butterfly  always  pours  out  the  sake  to  be  drank,  but, 
before  doing  so,  turns  a little  to  the  left,  when  the  fe- 
male butterfly  pours  from  her  jug  a little  sake  into  the 
jug  of  the  other,  who  then  proceeds  to  pour  out  for  the 
ceremony.  For  drinking  it,  three  bowls  are  used,  placed 
on  a tray  or  waiter,  one  within  the  other.  The  bride 
takes  the  uppermost,  holds  it  in  both  hands,  while  some 
sake  is  poured  into  it,  sips  a little,  three  several  times, 

1 This  is  a small,  square  or  oblong  bag,  containing  a small  image 
of  metal,  wood,  or  stone,  supposed  to  operate  as  a sort  of  amulet,  some- 
thing like  the  medicine-bag  of  our  Nortli  American  Indians. 


180 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


and  then  hands  it  to  the  groom.  He  drinks  three  times 
in  like  manner,  puts  the  bowl  under  the  third,  takes  the 
second,  hands  it  to  be  filled,  drinks  out  of  it  three  times, 
and  passes  it  to  the  bride.  She  drinks  three  times,  puts 
the  second  bowl  under  the  first,  takes  the  third,  holds  it 
to  be  filled,  drinks  three  times,  and  then  hands  it  to  the 
groom,  who  does  the  same,  and  afterwards  puts  this  bowl 
under  the  first.  This  ceremony  constitutes  the  marriage. 
The  bride’s  parents,  who  meanwhile  were  in  another 
room,  being  informed  that  this  ceremony  is  over,  come 
in,  as  do  the  bridegroom’s  parents  and  brothers,  and  seat 
themselves  in  a certain  order.  The  sake,  with  other 
refreshments  interspersed,  is  then  served,  by  the  two  but- 
terflies, to  these  relations  of  the  married  parties  in  a 
prescribed  order,  indicated  by  the  mediator;  the  two 
families,  by  this  ceremony,  extending,  as  it  were,  to  each 
other  the  alliance  already  contracted  between  the  bride 
and  bridegroom. 

Next  follows  the  delivery  of  certain  presents  on  the 
part  of  the  bride  to  the  bridegroom,  his  relatives,  and  the 
servants  of  the  household.  These  are  brought  by  a 
female,  who  arranges  them  in  order  in  an  adjoining  room, 
and  hands  written  lists  of  them  to  the  mediator,  who 
passes  it  to  the  bridegroom’s  father,  who,  having  received 
the  paper,  returns  thanks,  then  reads  the  lists  aloud,  and 
again  returns  thanks. 

The  bridegroom  then  presents  the  bride  with  two  rohes, 
one  with  a red  and  the  other  with  a black  ground,  embroid- 
ered with  gold  or  silver.  The  bride  retires,  puts  on  these 
robes,  and  again  returns.  Refreshments  of  a peculiar  kind 
then  follow,  the  bride,  to  spare  her  bashfulness,  being  suf- 
fered to  eat  in  a room  by  herself. 

This  entertainment  over,  the  parents  of  the  bride 


MARRIAGE  CEREMONIES 


181 


prepare  to  leave  her.  They  are  accompanied  by  those  of 
the  bridegroom,  and  by  the  bride  herself,  to  the  door ; the 
bridegroom  with  two  servants  bears  candles,  shows  the 
way,  and  takes  leave  with  compliments. 

Sometimes  the  bridegroom  proceeds,  that  same  night, 
with  his  parents  and  the  mediator,  to  the  house  of  the 
bride’s  father,  where  the  contracting  of  relationship  by 
drinking  sake  is  again  gone  through  with,  the  bride 
remaining  behind  in  her  husband’s  house,  where  she  is 
meanwhile  entertained  by  his  brothers.  On  tins  occasion 
the  father  of  the  bride  presents  his  new  son-in-law  with 
a sabre.  Presents  are  also  delivered  on  the  part  of  the 
bridegroom  to  the  bride’s  relations. 

The  feasting  over,  the  bridegroom  and  his  parents 
return  home,  and  are  received  at  the  door  by  the  bride. 

In  making  the  bed  for  the  bride,  her  pillow  is  placed 
towards  the  north  (the  practice  followed  with  the  dead, 
for  she  is  thenceforward  to  be  considered  as  dead  to  her 
parents).  Such  is  stated  to  have  been  the  ancient  cus- 
tom, though  now  generally  disused. 

The  beds  having  been  prepared,  the  bride  is  conducted 
to  hers  by  one  of  the  women  appointed  to  attend  her,  and 
the  same  person  introduces  the  bridegroom  into  the  apart- 
ment. The  young  couple  are  waited  on  by  the  male 
and  female  butterflies.  One  of  the  bride’s  women  sleeps 
secretly  in  the  adjoining  chamber. 

The  bridal  chamber  is  abundantly  furnished  with  all 
the  numerous  articles  of  the  Japanese  toilet,  including  a 
greater  or  less  quantity,  according  to  their  rank,  of  wear- 
ing apparel,  hung  on  movable  racks  or  clothes-horses. 

In  families  of  the  rank  of  the  governors  of  Nagasaki 
the  bride  is  portioned  with  twelve  robes,  each  upon  a 
distinct  horse  ; namely,  a blue  robe,  for  the  first  month, 


182 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


embroidered  with  fir-trees  or  bamboos ; a sea-green  robe 
for  the  second  month,  with  cherry  flowers  and  buttercups ; 
a robe  of  light  red,  for  the  third  month,  with  willows  and 
cherry-trees ; a robe  of  pearl  color,  for  the  fourth  month, 
embroidered  with  the  cuckoo,  and  small  spots  represent- 
ing islands  ; a robe  of  faint  yellow,  for  the  fifth  month, 
embroidered  with  waves  and  sword-grass ; a robe  of 
bright  orange,  for  the  sixth  month,  embroidered  with 
melons  and  with  an  impetuous  torrent,  — the  rainy  sea- 
son falling  in  this  and  the  previous  month  ; a white  robe, 
for  the  seventh  month,  with  lcikyo  flowers,  white  and 
purple ; a red  robe,  for  the  eighth  month,  sprinkled  with 
sloe-leaves  ; a violet  robe,  for  the  ninth  month,  embroid- 
ered with  flowers  of  the  Chrysanthemum  indicum  [Kiku], 
a very  splendid  flower;  an  olive-colored  robe,  for  the 
tenth  month,  with  representations  of  a road  and  ears  of 
rice  cut  off ; a black  robe,  for  the  eleventh  month,  em- 
broidered with  emblems  of  ice  and  icicles ; a purple  robe 
for  the  twelfth  month,  embroidered  with  emblems  of 
snow.  Beyond  some  personal  outfit  of  this  sort,  it  is 
said  not  to  be  the  custom  to  portion  daughters. 

Next  morning  the  young  couple  take  a warm  bath, 
and  then  breakfast  together.  Soon  after  numerous  pres- 
ents come  in,  of  which  a careful  account  is  kept ; the 
bride  also  receives  visits  of  congratulation.  The  day 
after,  all  the  bridegroom’s  people  are  treated  with  cakes 
in  the  apartment  of  the  bride;  and  rice-cake,  put  up  in 
boxes,  is  sent  to  all  the  near  relations  who  did  not  attend 
the  wedding. 

After  the  expiration  of  three  days  the  bride  pays  a 
visit  to  her  parents  preceded  by  a present  from  her  hus- 
band, one  corresponding  to  which  is  sent  back  when  the 
bride  returns.  All  the  preceding  ceremonies  over,  the 


FUNERAL  CEREMONIES 


183 


bride,  accomparded  by  her  mother-in-law,  or  some  aged 
female  relative,  pays  a visit  to  all  who  have  sent  her 
presents,  thanks  them,  and  offers  a suitable  return,  — a 
supply  of  suitable  presents  for  this  purpose  having  been 
provided  for  her  before  she  left  her  father’s  house. 
Seven  days  after  the  wedding,  the  bridegroom  and  four 
or  five  of  his  intimate  friends  are  invited  by  the  parents 
of  the  bride  to  a grand  entertainment.  A few  days 
after,  the  bridegroom  invites  the  relatives  of  the  bride 
to  a similar  entertainment,  and  so  the  matrimonial 
solemnities  terminate. 

The  Japanese  have  two  ways  of  disposing  of  the  dead, 

— doso,  or  interment ; Jcivaso,  or  burning,  — and  persons 
about  to  die  generally  state  which  method  they  prefer. 

Of  the  funeral  ceremonies 1 observed  at  Nagasaki,  Tit- 
sirigh  gives  the  following  account : The  body,  after  being 
carefully  washed  by  a favorite  servant,  and  the  head 
shaved,  is  clothed  according  to  the  state  of  the  weather, 
and  (if  a female,  in  her  best  apparel)  exactly  as  in  life, 
except  that  the  sash  is  tied,  not  in  a bow,  but  strongly 
fastened  with  two  knots,  to  indicate  that  it  is  never 
more  to  be  loosed.  The  body  is  then  covered  with  a 
piece  of  linen,  folded  in  a peculiar  manner,  and  is  placed 
on  a mat  in  the  middle  of  the  hall,  the  head  to  the 
north.  Food  is  offered  to  it,  and  all  the  family  lament. 

After  being  kept  for  forty-eight  hours,  the  body  is 
placed  on  its  knees  in  a tub-shaped  coffin,  which  is  en- 
closed in  a square,  oblong  box,  or  bier,  the  top  of  which 
is  roof-shaped,  called  kwan.  Two  ihai  are  also  prepared, 

— wooden  tablets  of  a peculiar  shape  and  fashion,  con- 
taining inscriptions  commemorative  of  the  deceased,  the 

1 Sec  Lay’s  paper  on  “Japanese  Funeral  Rites,”  in  vol.  xix  of  the 
Transactions  of  the  Asiatic  Society  of  Japan. — Edk. 


184 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


time  of  his  decease,  and  the  name  given  to  him  since 
that  event. 

The  ihai  and  kwan,  followed  by  the  eldest  son  and  the 
family,  servants,  friends,  and  acquaintances,  are  borne 
in  a procession,  with  flags,  lanterns,  etc.,  to  one  of  the 
neighboring  temples,  whence,  after  certain  ceremonies,  in 
which  the  priests  take  a leading  part,  they  are  carried,  by 
the  relatives  only,  to  the  grave,  where  a priest,  while 
waiting  their  arrival,  repeats  certain  hymns.  The  mo- 
ment they  are  come,  the  tub  containing  the  body  is 
taken  out  of  the  kwan  and  deposited  in  the  grave,  which 
is  then  filled  with  earth  and  covered  with  a flat  stone, 
which  again  is  covered  with  earth,  and  over  the  whole 
is  placed  the  kwan  and  one  of  the  ihai,  which  is  removed 
at  the  end  of  seven  weeks,  to  make  room  for  the  hiseki,1 
or  grave-stone.  If  the  deceased  had  preferred  to  be 
burnt,  the  kwan  is  taken  to  the  summit  of  one  of  two 
neighboring  mountains,  on  the  top  of  each  of  which  is  a 
sort  of  furnace,  prepared  for  this  purpose,  enclosed  in 
a small  hut.  The  coffin  is  then  taken  from  the  kwan, 
and,  being  placed  in  the  furnace,  a great  fire  is  kindled. 
The  eldest  son  is  provided  with  an  earthen  urn,  in  which 
first  the  bones  and  then  the  ashes  are  put,  after  which 
the  mouth  of  the  urn  is  sealed  up.  While  the  body  is 
burning,  a priest  recites  hymns.  The  urn  is  then  car- 
ried to  the  grave,  and  deposited  in  it,  and,  the  grave 
being  filled  up,  the  kwan  is  placed  over  it. 

The  eldest  son  and  his  brothers  are  dressed  in  white, 
in  garments  of  undyed  hempen  stuff,  as  are  the  bearers, 
and  all  females  attending  the  funeral,  whether  relatives 
or  not;  the  others  wear  their  usual  dresses.  The  fe- 
males are  carried  in  norimono,  behind  the  male  part  of 


1 Better  sekihi.  — Edr. 


MOURNING 


185 


the  procession,  which  proceeds  on  foot,  the  nearest  rela- 
tives coming  first.  The  eldest  daughter  takes  preced- 
ence of  the  wife.  The  eldest  son  and  heir,  whether  by 
blood  or  adoption,  who  is  the  cliief  mourner,  wears  also 
a broad-brimmecl  hat,  of  rushes,  which  hang  about  his 
shoulder’s,  and  in  this  attire  does  not  recognize  nor 
salute  anybody. 

It  is  a remarkable  circumstance  that  relatives  in  the 
ascending  line  and  seniors  never  attend  the  funerals  of 
their  junior  kindred,  nor  go  into  mourning  for  them. 
Thus,  if  the  second  son  should  die,  neither  father, 
mother,  uncle,  aunt,  elder  brother,  nor  elder  sister 
would  attend  the  funeral. 

The  laboring  classes  are  not  required  to  go  into 
mourning ; yet  some  of  them  do  for  two,  three,  or  four 
days.  With  them  the  burial  takes  place  after  twenty- 
four  hours.  With  the  upper  class  the  mourning  is  fixed 
at  fifty  days.  It  used  to  be  twice  that  time,  but  is  said 
to  have  been  cut  down  by  Iyeyasu  (founder  of  the  reign- 
ing dynasty),  that  the  business  of  the  public  function- 
aries might  suffer  the  less  interruption.  Persons  in 
mourning  stay  at  home,  abstain  from  animal  food  of  any 
description,  and  from  sake,  and  neither  cut  their  nails 
nor  shave  their  heads. 

One  of  the  ihai  is  left,  as  has  been  mentioned,  at  the 
grave ; the  other,  during  the  period  of  mourning,  is  set 
up  in  the  best  apartment  of  the  house  of  the  deceased. 
Sweetmeats,  fruit,  and  tea  are  placed  before  it,  and 
morning,  noon,  and  night  food  is  offered  to  it,  served 
up  as  to  a living  person.  Two  candles,  fixed  in  candle- 
sticks, burn  by  it  night  and  day,  and  a lighted  lantern 
is  hung  up  on  either  side.  The  whole  household,  of  both 
sexes,  servants  included,  pray  before  it  morning  and 


186 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


evening.  This  is  kept  up  for  seven  weeks,  and  during 
each  week,  from  the  day  of  the  death,  a priest  attends 
and  reads  hymns  for  an  hour  before  the  iliai.  He  is 
each  time  supplied  with  ornaments,  and  paid  a fee  of 
from  five  to  six  mas. 

During  these  seven  weeks  the  son  goes  every  day,  be 
the  weather  what  it  may,  and  says  a prayer  by  the  grave. 
He  wears  his  rush  hat,  through  which  he  can  see  with- 
out being  seen,  speaks  to  nobody,  and  is  dressed  in 
white.  With  this  exception,  and  a ceremonious  visit, 
in  the  third,  fourth,  or  fifth  week,  to  the  relatives  and 
friends,  he  remains  in  his  house,  with  the  door  fastened. 
It  is  customary  to  erect  a small  hut  near  the  grave,  in 
which  a servant  watches,  noting  down  the  names  of  all 
who  come  to  visit  it. 

When  the  seven  weeks  are  over,  the  mourner  shaves 
and  dresses,  opens  his  door,  and  goes,  if  an  officer,  to 
inform  the  governor  that  his  days  of  mourning  are  over. 
He  next  pays  a complimentary  visit  to  all  who  attended 
the  funeral,  or  have  visited  the  grave,  sending  them  also 
a complimentary  present.  The  hiseki,  or  gravestone 
(almost  precisely  like  those  in  use  with  us),  is  placed 
over  the  grave,  and  two  ihai,  varnished  black  and  su- 
perbly gilt,  are  provided,  one  of  which  is  sent  to  a 
temple.  The  other  remains  at  home,  kept  in  a case  in 
a small  apartment  appropriated  for  that  purpose,  in 
which  are  kept  the  ihai  of  all  the  ancestors  of  the  family. 
It  is  customary  every  morning,  after  rising  and  dressing, 
to  take  the  ihai  out  of  its  case,  and  to  burn  a little  incense 
before  it,  bowing  the  head  in  token  of  respect. 

Though  the  wearing  of  white  garments  and  other  for- 
malities of  the  special  mourning,  called  imi,  cease  at  the 
end  of  fifty  days  at  the  longest,  bright  colors  are  not  to 


A Japanese  Hud 


MOURNING 


187 


be  worn,  or  a Shinto  temple  to  be  entered,  for  thirteen 
months,  and  this  is  called  buku.  For  a husband,  imi 
lasts  thirty  days  and  buku  thirteen  months ; for  a 
wife,  imi  twenty  days  and  buku  three  months;  for 
grandparents  and  uncles,  the  periods  are  thirty  days 
and  five  months ; for  an  eldest  brother  or  sister,  or  aunt 
on  the  father’s  side,  and  great-grandparents,  twenty 
days  and  three  months ; for  great-great-grandparents 
and  aunts  on  the  mother’s  side,  fathers  and  mothers-in- 
law,  brother-in-law  or  sister-in-law,  or  eldest  grandchild, 
ten  days  and  one  month ; for  other  grandchildren,  and 
for  cousins  of  either  sex,  and  their  children,  three  days 
and  seven  days.  For  children  under  the  age  of  seven 
years,  whatever  the  relationship,  there  is  no  mourning. 

The  great  dignitaries  must  wear  mourning  for  the 
Shogun ; all  officers,  civil  and  military,  for  their  princes ; 
and  whoever  derives  his  subsistence  from  another  must 
mourn  for  him  as  for  a father.  Pupils  also  must  mourn 
for  their  teacher,  education  being  esteemed  equivalent  to 
a livelihood.  The  sons  of  a mother  repudiated  by  her 
husband  and  expelled  from  his  house  mourn  for  her  as 
if  dead. 

In  case  of  persons  holding  office,  who  die  suddenly 
-without  previously  having  resigned  in  favor  of  their 
heirs,  it  is  not  unusual  to  bury  them  the  night  after  their 
death,  in  a private  manner.  The  death,  though  whis- 
pered about,  is  not  officially  announced.  The  heir,  who 
dresses  and  acts  as  usual,  notifies  the  authorities  that  his 
father  is  sick  and  wishes  to  resign.  Having  obtained  the 
succession,  he  soon  after  announces  his  father’s  death, 
and  the  formal  funeral  and  mourning  then  take  place. 

The  honors  paid  to  deceased  parents  do  not  terminate 
with  the  mourning.  Every  month,  on  the  day  of  the 


188 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


ancestor’s  decease,  for  fifty,  or  even  for  a hundred  years, 
food,  sweetmeats,  and  fruit  are  set  before  the  ihai.  One 
hundred  days  after  the  decease  of  a father  or  mother,  an 
entertainment  is  to  he  given  to  all  the  intimate  friends, 
including  the  priest  who  presided  at  the  funeral.  This 
is  to  he  repeated  a year  from  the  death ; and  again  on 
the  third,  seventh,  thirteenth,  twenty-fifth,  thirty-third, 
fiftieth,  hundredth,  and  hundred  and  fiftieth  anniversary, 
and  so  on,  as  long  as  the  family  exists.  To  secure  the 
due  payment  to  themselves  of  funeral  honors,  those  who 
have  no  sons  of  their  own  adopt  one.  If  any  accident,  for- 
tunate or  disastrous,  happens  to  the  family,  it  is  formally 
communicated  to  the  ihai,  such  as  the  birth  of  a child,  a 
safe  return  from  a journey,  etc.  In  case  of  floods  or  fires, 
the  ihai  nmst  be  saved  in  preference  to  everything  else, 
their  loss  being  regarded  as  the  greatest  of  misfortunes. 

The  fifteenth  day  of  the  seventh  Japanese  month  is  a 
festival,  devoted  to  the  honor  of  parents  and  ancestors. 
Every  Japanese  whose  parents  are  still  living  considers 
this  a happy  day.  People  regale  themselves  and  their 
children  with  fish.  Married  sons  and  daughters,  or 
adopted  sons,  send  presents  to  their  parents.  On  the 
evening  of  the  18th,  the  ihai  are  taken  from  their  cases, 
and  a repast  set  before  them  of  vegetables  and  the  fruits 
then  ripening.  In  the  middle  is  set  a vase,  in  which 
perfumes  are  burnt,  and  other  vases  containing  flowers. 
The  next  day,  meals  of  rice,  tea,  and  other  food  are 
regularly  served  to  the  ihai,  as  to  living  guests. 

Towards  evening,  lanterns,  suspended  from  long  bam- 
boos, are  lighted  before  each  hiseki,  or  gravestone,  and 
refreshments  are  also  placed  there.  This  is  repeated  on 
the  fifteenth.  Before  daylight  of  the  sixteenth  the  arti- 
cles placed  at  the  graves  are  packed  into  small  boats 


FEAST  OF  LANTERNS 


189 


of  straw,  provided  with  sails  of  paper  or  cloth,  which 
are  carried  in  procession,  with  vocal  and  instrumental 
music  and  loud  cries,  to  the  water-side,  where  they  are 
launched,  by  way  of  dismissing  the  souls  of  the  dead, 
who  are  supposed  now  to  return  to  their  graves.  “ This 
festival,”  says  Titsingh,  speaking  of  its  celebration  at 
Nagasaki,  “ produces  a highly  picturesque  effect.  Out- 
side the  town,  the  view  of  it  from  the  island  Deshima  is 
one  of  the  most  beautiful.  The  spectator  would  almost 
imagine  that  he  beheld  a torrent  of  fire  pouring  from  the 
hill,  owing  to  the  immense  number  of  small  boats  that  are 
carried  to  the  shore  to  be  turned  adrift  on  the  sea.  In 
the  middle  of  the  night,  and  when  there  is  a brisk  wind, 
the  agitation  of  the  water  causing  all  these  lights  to  dance 
to  and  fro,  produces  an  enchanting  scene.  The  noise  and 
bustle  in  the  town,  the  sound  of  gongs  and  the  voices  of 
the  priests,  combine  to  form  a discord  that  can  scarcely 
be  conceived.  The  whole  bay  seems  to  be  covered  with 
ignes  fatui.  Though  these  barks  have  sails  of  paper, 
or  stronger  stuff,  very  few  of  them  pass  the  place  where 
our  ships  lie  at  anchor.  In  spite  of  the  guards,  thou- 
sands of  paupers  rush  into  the  water  to  secure  the  small 
copper  coin  and  other  things  placed  in  them.  Next  day, 
they  strip  the  barks  of  all  that  is  left,  and  the  tide  carries 
them  out  to  sea.  Thus  terminates  this  ceremony.”  1 

1 Father  Yilela,  in  a letter  written  from  Sakai,  15G2,  in  the  month 
of  August  (at  whicli  time  this  festival  happens),  describes  it  in  a very 
lively  manner.  He  represents  the  people  as  going  out  two  days  before, 
as  if  to  meet  their  dead  relations,  spreading  a feast  to  refresh  them 
after  their  long  journey,  escorting  them  to  their  houses,  talking  to 
them  as  if  they  were  present,  and,  finally,  dismissing  them  with  torches, 
lest  they  might  stumble  in  the  dark,  or  miss  their  way.  This,  Vilela 
adds,  is  a great  time  for  the  bonzes,  the  very  poorest  offering  them 
some  gift  for  their  religious  aid  on  this  occasion. 


CHAPTER  XLII 


Exploration  of  the  Northern  Japanese  Seas  — First  Russian  Mission  to 
Japan  — Professorship  of  Japanese  at  Irkutsk  — New  Restrictions  on 
the  Dutch  — Embarrassments  growing  out  of  the  War  of  the  French 
Revolution  — American  Flag  at  Nagasaki  — Captain  Stewart  — Inge- 
nuity of  a Japanese  Fisherman  — Heer  Doeff,  Director  at  Deshima  — 
Suspicious  Proceedings  of  Captain  Stewart  — Russian  Embassy  — 
Klaproth’s  Knowledge  of  Japanese — Doeff  s First  Journey  to  Yedo 
— Dutch  Trade  in  1804  and  180G — An  American  Ship  at  Nagasaki 
— The  British  Frigate  “ Phaeton  ” — No  Ships  from  Batavia  — The 
Dutch  on  Short  Allowance  — English  Ships  from  Batavia  — Commu- 
nication again  suspended  — Dutch  and  Japanese  Dictionary  — Chil- 
dren at  the  Factory  — A.  D.  1792-1817 . 

TILL  comparatively  a recent  period  Europe  was 
very  much  in  the  dark  as  to  the  geography  of 
northeastern  Asia.  Through  the  explorations 
and  conquests  of  the  Russians,  Kamtchatka  (long  before 
visited  by  the  Japanese)  first  became  known  to  Euro- 
peans, about  the  year  1700.  The  exploration  of  the 
Kurile  Islands,  stretching  from  the  southern  point  of 
that  peninsula,  led  the  Russians  towards  Japan.  In 
1713,  the  Cossack  Ivosierewski  reached  Kunajiri  (the 
twentieth  Kurile,  according  to  the  Russian  reckoning, 
beginning  from  Kamtchatka),  close  to  the  northeastern 
coast  of  Yezo,  and  claimed  by  the  Japanese.  In  1736, 
Spageiiburg,  a Dane  in  the  Russian  service,  visited  all 
the  southern  Kuriles,  coasted  the  island  of  Yezo,  made 
the  land  of  Nippon,  and  entered  several  harbors  on  its 
eastern  coast.  These  explorations  were  renewed  by 
Potoncliew  in  1777 ; but  it  was  not  till  1787  that  La 


RUSSIAN  MISSION  THITHER 


191 


Perouse  obtained  for  Europe  the  first  distinct  knowledge 
of  the  outline  of  the  Sea  of  Japan,  of  the  relative  situa- 
tions of  Sakhalin  and  Yezo,  and  of  the  strait  between 
them,  which  still  bears  his  name. 

In  1791,  the  “ Argonaut,”  an  English  ship  employed  in 
the  fur  trade  on  the  northwest  coast  of  America,  made 
the  western  coast  of  Japan,  and  attempted  to  trade ; but 
she  was  immediately  surrounded  by  lines  of  boats  ; all 
intercourse  with  the  shore  wras  prevented,  and  she  wras 
dismissed  with  a gratuitous  supply  of  wood  and  water. 
In  1795-97,  Captain  Broughton,  in  an  English  explor- 
ing vessel,  coasted  the  southern  and  eastern  shore  of 
Yezo,  sailed  among  the  southern  Kuriles,  and  touched 
at  several  places  on  the  southern  part  of  Sakhalin.  Be- 
sides the  natives,  he  found  a few  Japanese,  who  treated 
him  with  much  attention,  but  were  veiy  anxious  for  his 
speedy  departure.  Japanese  officers  came  from  Yezo, 
expressly  to  look  after  him,  to  restrict  his  communica- 
tions, and  to  send  him  off,  with  all  civility  indeed,  but  as 
speedily  as  possible. 

Previous  to  Broughton’s  voyage,  Russia  had  already 
made  a fust  attempt  at  a commercial  and  diplomatic 
intercourse  with  Japan.  The  crew'  of  a Japanese  vessel, 
shipwrecked  in  the  Sea  of  Okhotsk,  had  been  saved 
by  the  Russians,  about  1782,  and  taken  to  Irkutsk,  in 
Siberia,  where  they  lived  for  ten  years.  At  length 
the  governor  of  Siberia  was  directed,  by  the  empress 
Catherine  II,  to  send  home  these  Japanese,  and  with 
them  an  envoy,  not  as  from  her,  but  from  himself. 
Lieutenant  Laxman,  selected  for  this  purpose,  sailed 
from  Okhotsk  in  the  autumn  of  1792,  landed  on  the 
northern  coast  of  Yezo,  and  passed  the  winter  there. 
The  next  summer  he  entered  the  harbor  of  Hakodate, 


192 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


on  the  northern  coast  of(  the  Strait  of  Sangar.  From 
that  town  he  travelled  by  land  to  the  city  of  Matsumae, 
three  days’  journey  to  the  west,  and  the  chief  Japanese 
settlement  on  the  island,  the  authorities  of  which,  after 
communicating  with  Yedo,  delivered  to  him  a paper  to 
the  following  effect : “ That  although  it  was  ordained 
by  the  laws  of  Japan,  that  any  foreigners  landing  any- 
where on  the  coast,  except  at  Nagasaki,  should  be  seized 
and  condemned  to  perpetual  imprisonment ; yet,  consid- 
ering the  ignorance  of  the  Russians,  and  their  having 
brought  back  the  shipwrecked  Japanese,  they  might  be 
permitted  to  depart,  on  condition  of  never  approaching, 
under  any  pretence,  any  part  of  the  coast  except  Naga- 
saki. As  to  the  Japanese  brought  back,  the  govern- 
ment was  much  obliged  to  the  Russians  ; who,  however, 
were  at  liberty  to  leave  them  or  take  them  away  again, 
as  they  pleased,  it  being  the  law  of  Japan  that  such 
persons  ceased  to  be  Japanese,  and  became  the  subjects 
of  that  government  into  whose  hands  destiny  had  cast 
them.  With  respect  to  commercial  negotiations,  those 
could  only  take  place  at  Nagasaki ; and  a paper  was  sent 
authorizing  a Russian  vessel  to  enter  that  port  for  that 
purpose ; but  as  the  Christian  worship  was  not  allowed 
in  Japan,  any  persons  admitted  into  Nagasaki  must 
carefully  abstain  from  it.” 

Laxman  was  treated  with  great  courtesy,  though  kept 
in  a sort  of  confinement;  he  was  supported,  with  his 
crew,  by  the  Japanese  authorities,  while  he  remained, 
and  was  dismissed  with  presents  and  an  ample  supply  of 
provisions,  for  which  no  payment  would  be  received. 

Here  the  matter  rested  for  several  years,  but  into  a 
school  for  teaching  navigation,  which  Catherine  II  es- 
tablished at  Irkutsk,  the  capital  of  Eastern  Siberia,  she 


CAPTAIN  STEWART 


193 


introduced  a professorship  of  the  Japanese  language,  the 
professors  being  taken  from  among  the  Japanese  ship- 
wrecked from  time  to  time  on  the  coast  of  Siberia. 
Meanwhile,  even  the  Dutch  commerce  to  Japan  had 
undergone  some  new  restrictions.  Whether  from  the 
prevalence  of  the  “ frog-in-a-well  ” policy,  or  from  ap- 
prehensions, as  it  was  said,  of  the  exhaustion  of  the 
copper  mines,  the  Dutch  in  1790  were  limited  to  a single 
ship  annually,  while  to  accommodate  their  expenditures 
to  this  diminished  trade,  the  hitherto  yearly  embassy  to 
Yedo  was  to  be  sent  only  once  in  four  years,  though 
annual  presents  to  the  emperor  and  his  officers  were  still 
required  as  before. 

The  occupation  of  Holland  by  the  French  armies  not 
only  exposed  Dutch  vessels  to  capture  by  the  English, 
it  cost  Holland  several  of  her  eastern  colonies,  and  thus 
placed  new  obstacles  in  the  way  of  the  Japanese  trade. 
It  was  no  doubt  to  diminish  the  danger  of  capture  by 
the  British,  that,  in  the  year  1797,  the  ship  despatched 
from  Batavia  sailed  under  the  American  flag,  and  carried 
American  papers,  while  the  commander,  one  Captain 
Stewart,  though  in  reality  an  Englishman  from  Madras 
or  Bengal,  passed  for  an  American,  and  his  ship  as  the 
“ Eliza,”  of  New  York.  That  the  crew  of  this  vessel  spoke 
English,  and  not  Dutch,  was  immediately  noticed  by  the 
interpreters  at  Nagasaki,  and  produced  a great  sensation 
among  the  Japanese  officials  ; but  at  last,  after  vast  dif- 
ficulty, they  were  made  to  understand  that  though  the 
crew  spoke  English,  they  were  not  “ the  English,”  but 
of  another  nation,  and,  what  was  a still  more  essential 
point,  that  they  had  nothing  to  do  with  the  trade,  but 
were  merely  hired  to  hi  ing  the  goods  in  order  to  save 
them  from  capture  ; as  a result  of  which  explanation  it 

VOL.  II.  — 13 


194 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


was  finally  agreed  that  the  “ Eliza  ” should  be  considered 
as  a Dutch  ship. 

The  same  vessel  and  captain  returned  again  the  next 
year ; but  in  leaving  the  harbor  for  Batavia,  loaded  with 
camphor  and  copper,  she  struck  a hidden  rock,  and  sunk. 
The  first  scheme  hit  upon  for  raising  the  vessel  was  to 
send  down  divers  to  discharge  the  copper;  but  two  of 
them  lost  their  lives  from  the  suffocating  effect  of  the 
melting  camphor,  and  this  scheme  had  to  be  abandoned. 
Heavily  laden  as  she  was,  every  effort  at  raising  her 
proved  abortive,  till  at  last  the  object  was  accomplished 
by  a Japanese  fisherman,  who  volunteered  his  services. 
He  fastened  to  each  side  of  the  sunken  vessel  some  fif- 
teen of  the  Japanese  boats  used  in  towing,  and  a large 
Japanese  coasting  craft  to  the  stern,  and,  taking  advan- 
tage of  a stiff  breeze  and  a spring  tide,  dragged  the 
sunken  vessel  from  the  rock,  and  towed  her  into  a spot 
where,  upon  the  ebbing  of  the  tide,  she  could  be  dis- 
charged without  difficulty.  For  this  achievement  the 
fisherman  was  raised,  by  the  prince  of  Hizen,  to  which 
province  he  belonged,  to  the  rank  of  a noble,  being  privi- 
leged to  wear  two  swords,  and  to  take  as  his  insignia  or 
arms  a Dutch  hat  and  two  tobacco  pipes. 

When  repaired  and  reloaded,  the  “ Eliza  ” sailed  again  ; 
but  being  dismasted  in  a storm,  returned  to  refit,  by 
reason  of  which  she  was  detained  so  long,  that  the  ship 
of  1799,  also  under  American  colors,  and  this  time  it 
would  seem  a real  American,  the  “ Franklin,”  Captain 
Devereux,  arrived  at  Nagasaki,  and  was  nearly  loaded 
before  Captain  Stewart  was  ready  to  sail.  In  this  ship 
of  1799  came  out,  to  be  stationed  as  an  officer  at  the 
factory,  Ideer  Hendrick  Doeff,  who  remained  there  for 
the  next  seventeen  years,  and  to  whose  “ Recollections  of 


The  Cultivation  of  Grain:  Threshing  ani»  Cleaning  Grain;  Coolies 
in  a Kice  Field;  Women  carrying  Hice 


SUSPICIOUS  PROCEEDINGS 


195 


Japan,”  written  in  Dutch,  and  published  in  Holland  in 
1835,  we  are  greatly  indebted  for  what  we  know  of  the 
occurrences  in  Japan  during  that  period.  It  was,  how- 
ever, a very  unfortunate  circumstance,  tending  consider- 
ably to  diminish  the  value  of  his  book,  that  all  his  papers 
were  lost  by  the  foundering  of  the  ship  in  which  he  sailed 
from  Batavia  for  Holland,  in  1819,  the  crew  and  passen- 
gers escaping  barely  with  their  lives  ; after  which  he 
allowed  near  fifteen  years  more  to  pass  before  he  drew 
upon  his  memory  for  the  materials  of  his  book,  which 
was  only  published  at  length  to  correct  some  misappre- 
hensions, upon  matters  personal  to  himself,  likely  to  arise, 
as  he  feared,  from  publications  which  preceded  his  own. 
His  book,  indeed,  is  mainly  devoted  to  the  defence  of  the 
Dutch  nation  and  the  affairs  of  the  factory,  against  the 
strictures  of  Raffles  and  others,  throwing  only  some 
incidental  light  upon  the  Japanese,  the  knowledge  of 
whom,  so  far  as  it  is  accessible  to  residents  at  Deshima, 
had  indeed  been  pretty  well  exhausted  by  previous 
writers. 

Captain  Stewart,  refusing  to  wait  for  the  other  ship, 
set  sail  at  once  ; but  he  did  not  arrive  at  Batavia.  He 
reappeared,  however,  the  next  year  at  Nagasaki,  repre- 
senting himself  as  having  been  shipwrecked,  with  the 
loss  of  everything;  but  as  having  found  a friend  at 
Manila,  who  had  enabled  him  to  buy  and  lade  the  brig 
in  which  he  had  now  come  back,  for  the  purpose,  as  he 
said,  of  discharging,  out  of  the  sale  of  her  cargo,  Ms  debt 
due  to  the  factory  for  the  advances  made  for  the  repairs 
of  his  lost  vessel.  Ileer  Wadenaar,  the  director,  saw, 
however,  or  thought  he  saw,  in  this  proceeding,  a scheme 
for  gaining  a commercial  footing  at  Nagasaki,  independ- 
ent of  the  regular  trade  from  Batavia.  He  caused  the 


196 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


goods  to  be  sold  and  applied  to  the  discharge  of  Stewart’s 
debt ; but  he  declined  to  furnish  auy  return  cargo  for  the 
brig,  and  he  arrested  Stewart,  and  sent  him  a prisoner  to 
Batavia ; whence,  however,  soon  after  his  arrival  there, 
he  made  his  escape.  He  reappeared  again  at  Nagasaki 
in  1803,  still  under  the  American  flag,  but  coming  now 
from  Bengal  and  Canton,  with  a cargo  of  Indian  and 
Chinese  goods.  He  solicited  permission  to  trade  and  to 
supply  himself  with  water  and  oil.  With  these  latter 
he  was  gratuitously  furnished,  but  liberty  to  trade  was 
refused,  and  he  was  compelled  to  depart ; nor  was  any- 
thing further  heard  of  him.  Doeff  seems  to  have  sup- 
posed him  a real  American,  and  his  last  expedition  an 
American  adventure  ; but  in  a pamphlet  on  Java  and  its 
trade,  published  at  Batavia  in  1800,  by  Heer  Hagendorp, 
and  quoted  by  Raffles  in  his  history  of  Java,  Stewart  is 
expressly  stated  to  have  been  an  Englishman  from 
Madras  or  Bengal,  — a statement  which  seems  to  be 
confirmed  by  his  coming  from  Bengal  on  his  last  arrival 
at  Nagasaki,  and  a fact  as  to  which  Hagendorp,  who  held 
a high  official  position,  would  not  have  been  likely  to  be 
mistaken.1 

The  next  circumstance  of  importance  mentioned  by 
Doeff  was  the  arrival  in  October,  1804,  in  the  harbor  of 
Nagasaki,  of  a Russian  vessel,  commanded  by  Captain 
Krusenstern,  and  having  on  board  Count  Resanoff,  sent 
as  ambassador  from  the  Czar,  in  somewhat  late  prosecu- 
tion of  the  negotiation  commenced  by  Laxman  in  1792. 
This  vessel  brought  back  a number  of  shipwrecked 

1 Krusenstern,  in  his  narrative  of  the  Russian  embassy  of  ResanoS 
(as  to  which  see  next  paragraph  of  the  text),  speaks  of  the  last  expedi- 
tion of  Stewart  as  fitted  out  by  some  English  merchants  in  Calcutta, 
and  gives  to  the  captain  the  name  of  Torey.  Very  likely  he  had  both 
names. 


RUSSIAN  EMBASSY 


197 


Japanese,1  and  lier  coming  had  been  notified  to  the  gov- 
ernor of  Nagasaki,  through  the  medium  of  the  Dutch 
authorities  at  Batavia  and  Deshima.  There  are  two 
Russian  narratives  of  this  expedition,  one  by  Krusen- 
stern,  the  other  by  Langsdorff,  who  was  attached  to  the 
embassy.  Both  ascribe  the  failure  of  the  mission  to  the 
jealous  opposition  of  the  Dutch.  Doeff,  on  the  contrary, 
insists  that  he  did  everything  he  could  — for  by  this  time 
he  was  director  — to  aid  the  Russians,  and  that  they  had 
only  to  blame  their  own  obstinacy  in  refusing  to  yield 
to  the  demands  of  the  Japanese. 

The  dispute  began  upon  the  very  first  boarding  of  the 
Russian  ship,  on  which  occasion  the  Japanese  officers 
took  the  Dutch  director  with  them.  Resanoff  consented 
to  give  up  his  powder,  but  insisted  upon  retaining  his 
arms ; he  also  refused  those  prostrations  which  the 
boarding-officers  demanded  as  representatives  of  the 
emperor.  These  points  were  referred  to  Yedo;  but, 
meantime  (Doeff  says,  through  his  solicitations)  the  ship 
with  the  arms  on  board  was  permitted  to  anchor.  The 
Dutch  and  Russians  were  allowed  to  pass  the  first  even- 
ing together,  but  afterwards  they  were  jealously  sepa- 
rated, though  they  contrived  to  keep  up  an  occasional 
intercourse  through  the  connivance  of  the  interpreters. 
The  annual  ship  from  Batavia,  this  year  Dutch,  then  at 
Deshima,  was  removed  to  another  and  distant  berth. 
When  she  left,  no  letters  were  allowed  to  be  sent  by 
the  Russians,  except  a bare  despatch,  first  inspected  by 
the  governor,  notifying  the  ambassador’s  arrival,  and  the 
health  of  his  company.  Nor  were  the  Dutch  allowed  in 

1 The  whole  party  consisted  of  fifteen,  but  of  these  only  five,  and 
those  the  most  worthless,  were  willing  to  return  home.  The  others 
preferred  to  remain  in  Siberia. 


198 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


passing  even  to  return  the  salutation  of  the  Russians. 
The  Dutch  captain  put  his  trumpet  to  his  lips,  but  was 
under  strict  orders  from  the  director  not  to  speak  a word, 
— a discourtesy,  as  they  thought  it,  which  the  Russians 
highly  resented.  Of  the  Russians,  none  were  allowed  to 
land  till  two  months  and  a half  after  their  arrival,  the 
matter  having  first  been  referred  to  Yedo.  Finally,  a 
fish-house,  on  a small  island,  closely  hedged  in  with  bam- 
boos, so  that  nothing  could  be  seen,  was  fitted  up  for  the 
ambassador.  All  the  arms  were  given  up,  except  the 
swords  of  the  officers  and  the  muskets  of  seven  soldiers 
who  landed  with  the  ambassador,  but  who  had  no  powder. 
The  ship  was  constantly  surrounded  by  guard-boats. 

After  a detention  of  near  six  months,  a commissioner 
from  Yedo  made  his  appearance,  with  the  emperor’s 
answer.  The  ambassador,  having  been  carried  on  shore 
in  the  barge  of  the  prince  of  Hizen,  was  conveyed  to  the 
governor’s  house  in  the  norimono  of  the  Dutch  director, 
borrowed  for  the  occasion ; but  all  his  suite  had  to  walk, 
and,  in  order  that  they  might  see  nothing,  the  doors  and 
windows  of  the  houses,  wherever  they  passed,  were 
closed ; the  street  gates  were  fastened,  and  the  inhabi- 
tants were  ordered  to  keep  at  home.  A second  interview 
took  place  the  next  day,  when  a flat  refusal  was  returned 
to  all  the  ambassador’s  requests,  and  even  the  presents 
for  the  emperor  were  declined. 

In  the  midst  of  all  these  annoyances  everj'thing  was 
done  with  the  greatest  show  of  politeness.  The  emperor’s 
answer,  which  Doeff  was  called  upon  to  assist  in  trans- 
lating into  Dutch,  placed  the  refusal  to  receive  the 
ambassador  or  his  presents  on  the  ground  that,  if  they 
were  received,  it  would  be  necessary  to  send  back  an 
ambassador  with  equal  presents,  to  which  not  only  the 


DOEFFS  JOURNEY  TO  YEDO 


199 


great  poverty  of  the  Japanese  was  an  obstacle,  bnt  also 
the  strict  law,  in  force  for  a hundred  and  fifty  years  past, 
against  any  Japanese  subject  or  vessel  going  to  foreign 
countries.  It  was  also  stated  that  Japan  had  no  great 
wants,  and  little  occasion  for  foreign  productions,  of 
which  the  Dutch  and  Chinese  already  brought  as  much 
as  was  required,  and  that  any  considerable  trade  could 
only  be  established  by  means  of  an  intercourse  between 
foreigners  and  Japanese,  which  the  laws  strictly  forbade. 

The  ambassador  did  not  depart  without  bitter  re- 
proaches against  Doeff,  whom  he  charged  as  the  author 
of  his  miscarriage.  He  arrived  at  Okhotsk  in  May, 
1805,  afterwards  passed  over  to  Sitka,  on  the  American 
coast,  and  the  next  year,  having  returned  again  to 
Okhotsk,  despatched  two  small  Russian  vessels  to  make 
reprisals  on  the  Japanese.  They  landed  on  the  coast  of 
Sakhalin,  in  the  years  1806  and  1807,  plundered  a Japa- 
nese settlement,  loaded  their  vessels  with  the  booty, 
carried  off  several  Kurile  and  two  Japanese  prisoners, 
and  left  behind  written  notifications,  in  Russian  and 
French,  that  this  had  been  done  in  revenge  for  the  slights 
put  upon  Resanoff.1 

In  1805  and  1806,  Klaproth,  the  learned  Orientalist, 
passed  some  months  at  Irkutsk,  as  secretary  to  a Russian 
embassy  to  China.  lie  found  the  Japanese  professorship, 
established  there  by  Catharine  II,  filled  by  a Japanese, 
who  had  embraced  the  Greek  religion,  and,  from  him  and 
the  books  which  lie  furnished,  Klaproth  acquired  such 
knowledge  as  he  had  of  the  Japanese  tongue. 

In  the  spring  of  1806,  Deoff  made  his  first  journey  to 
Yedo.  In  the  arrangements  of  the  journey  and  the  audi- 

1 See  also  Aston’s  paper  in  vol.  i of  the  “ Transactions  of  the  Asiatic 
Society  of  Japan.”  — Edr. 


200 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


ence,  there  seems  to  have  been  no  change  since  the  time 
of  Thunberg.  While  he  was  at  Yedo  a tremendous  fire 
broke  out.  It  began,  at  a distance  from  his  lodgings,  at 
ten  in  the  morning.  At  one  the  Dutch  took  the  alarm, 
and  began  to  pack.  At  three  they  fled.  “ On  issuing 
into  the  street,”  says  Doeff,  “ we  saw  everything  in 
flames.  There  was  great  danger  in  endeavoring  to  es- 
cape before  the  wind,  in  the  same  direction  taken  by  the 
fire.  We,  therefore,  took  a slanting  direction,  through 
a street  already  burning,  and  thus  succeeded  in  reaching 
an  open  field.  It  was  studded  with  the  standards  of 
princes  whose  dwellings  had  been  destroyed,  and  whose 
wives  and  children  had  fled  thither  for  refuge.  We 
followed  their  example,  and  marked  out  a spot  with  our 
Dutch  flags.  We  had  now  a full  view  of  the  fire,  and 
never  did  I see  anything  so  terrific.  The  terrors  of  this 
ocean  of  flame  were  enhanced  by  the  heart-rending  cries 
of  the  fugitive  women  and  children.”  The  fire  raged 
till  noon  the  next  day,  when  it  was  extinguished  by  a 
fall  of  rain.1  The  Dutch  learned  from  their  host,  that, 
within  five  minutes  after  they  left,  the  fire  took  his  house, 
and  destroyed  everything  — as  an  indemnity  for  which, 
the  Dutch  East  India  Company  allowed  him  annually 
for  three  years  from  twelve  to  fourteen  hundred-weight 
of  sugar.  The  palaces  of  thirty-seven  princes  had  been 
destroyed.  The  weight  of  fugitives  broke  down  the 
famous  Nihonbashi,  or  bridge  of  Japan,  so  that,  besides 
those  burned  to  death,  many  were  drowned,  including  a 

1 Golownin  was  informed,  during  his  captivity  at  Matsumae,  that  it 
is  part  of  the  duty  of  the  Japanese  soldiers  to  assist  in  extinguishing 
fires,  for  which  purpose  they  are  provided  with  a fireman’s  dress  of 
varnished  leather.  To  extinguish  a fire  is  stated  to  be  considered  a 
glorious  achievement.  But,  though  fire  is  almost  the  only  element  the 
Japanese  soldiers  have  to  contend  with,  they  do  not  seem  to  be  very 
expert  at  subduing  it. 


A JAPANESE  ASTRONOMER  201 

daughter  of  the  prince  of  Awa.  Twelve  hundred  lives 
were  said  to  have  been  lost. 

On  this  occasion  the  Dutch  were  greatly  aided  by  a 
wealthy  Japanese  merchant,  who  sent  forty  men  to 
assist  them  in  removing.  He  lost  his  shop,  or  store, 
and  a warehouse,  containing  a hundred  thousand  pounds 
of  spun  silk,  yet  the  day  after  the  fire  was  engaged  in 
rebuilding  his  premises. 

ihe  Dutch,  burnt  out  of  their  inn,  were  lodged  at  first 
in  the  house  of  the  governor  of  Nagasaki ; but,  four 
days  after,  procured  a new  inn.  This  was  in  a more 
public  place  than  the  old  obscure  lodging.  The  appear- 
ance of  the  Dutch  on  the  balcony  attracted  crowds  of 
curious  spectators,  and  soon  drew  out  an  order,  from 
the  governor  of  Yedo,  that  they  should  keep  within 
doors.  But  Doeff  refused  to  obey  this  order,  on  the 
ground  that,  during  their  entire  embassy,  the  Dutch 
were  under  the  authority  only  of  the  governor  of  Naga- 
saki ; and  in  this  position  he  was  sustained  by  that 
personage. 

After  the  audience  the  Dutch  received  many  visits, 
particularly  from  physicians  and  astronomers.  On  the 
subject  of  astronomy  Doeff  was  more  puzzled  than  even 
Thunberg  had  been,  for,  since  Thunberg’s  time,  the 
Japanese  would  seem  to  have  made  considerable  advances 
in  that  science.  They  had  a translation  of  La  Lande’s 
astronomy,  and  the  chief  astronomer,  Takaro  Sampei  (?) 
(to  whom  Doeff,  at  his  special  request  for  a name, 
ga\e  that  of  Globins , and  who  proved,  on  subsequent 
occasions,  a good  friend  of  the  Dutch),  could  calculate 
eclipses  with  much  precision.  To  a grandson  of  one 
of  Thunberg’s  medical  friends,  who  was  also  a physi- 
cian, Doeff  gave  the  name  of  Johannis  Botanicus.  The 


202 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


honor  of  a Dutch  name,  exceedingly  coveted  by  the 
Japanese,  was  solicited  even  by  the  prince  of  Satsuma 
and  his  secretary.  Being  attacked  with  colic  on  his 
return  from  Yedo,  Doeff  submitted  to  the  Japanese 
remedy  of  acapuncture ; but  he  does  not  give  any  high 
idea  of  its  efficacy. 

Two  accounts  current  of  the  trade  of  Japan  for  the 
years  1804  and  1806,  published  by  Raffles,  will  serve  to 
show  its  condition  at  this  time.  The  articles  sent  to 
Japan  were  sugar,  spices,  woollens,  cottons,  tin,  lead, 
quicksilver,  sapan-wood,  saffron,  liquorice,  elephant’s- 
teeth,  catechu,  and  ducatoons,  sugar  forming  about  half 
the  cargo  in  value.  The  prime  cost  at  Batavia  was, 
in  1804,  211,896,  in  1806,  161,008  rix  dollars,  to  which 
were  to  be  added  freight  and  charges  at  Batavia,  amount- 
ing in  1804  to  150,000,  in  1806  to  106,244  rix  dollars, 
making  the  whole  cost  in  1804,  861,807,  in  1806,  266,252 
rix  dollars.  The  sales  at  Deshima  amounted  in  1804  to 
160,378,  in  1806  to  108,797  rix  dollars ; but  this  included, 
in  1804,  3,333  rix  dollars  from  old  goods,  and,  in  1806, 
5,428  rix  dollars  borrowed  of  the  Japanese  to  complete 
the  cargo.  From  these  amounts  were  to  be  deducted 
the  expenses  of  the  establishment  at  Deshima,  and  loss 
in  weight  on  the  sugar,  viz.,  in  1804,  67, 952, 1 and  in 
1806,  39,625  rix  dollars,  leaving  to  be  employed  in  the 
purchase  of  copper  and  camphor,  in  1804,  92,426,  in 
1806,  69,172  rix  dollars,  to  which  were  added  13,125  rix 
dollars  from  the  sale  of  old  goods.  The  copper  brought 
back  by  the  ship  of  1804  having  been  coined  at  Batavia, 
the  entire  profit  of  the  voyage  amounted  to  507,147  rix 
dollars,  but  the  larger  part  of  this  profit  belonged,  in 

1 The  expenses  of  the  visits  to  Yedo,  in  1804,  were  sixteen  thousand 
six  hundred  and  sixty-six  rix  dollars. 


The  Processes  of  Weighing  axd  Pounding  Rice 


THE  FRIGATE  “PHAETON 


203 


fact,  to  the  mint,  the  copper  being  coined  at  a rate  above 
its  intrinsic  value.  In  1808,  the  copper  being  sold,  the 
balance  in  favor  of  the  voyage  was  but  175,505  rix 
dollars,  deducting  the  amount  borrowed  in  Japan.  It 
was  only  the  low  rate  at  which  copper  was  furnished 
by  the  Japanese  government  that  enabled  these  voyages 
to  pay. 

In  1807,  the  “ Eclipse,”  of  Boston,  chartered  at  Canton 
by  the  Russian  American  Company,  for  Kamtchatka  and 
the  northwest  coast  of  America,  entered  the  bay  of 
Nagasaki  under  Russian  colors,1  and  was  towed  to  the 
anchorage  by  an  immense  number  of  boats.  A Dutchman 
came  on  board,  and  advised  them  to  haul  down  their  col- 
ors, as  the  Japanese  were  much  displeased  with  Russia. 
The  Japanese  declined  to  trade,  and  asked  what  the  ship 
wanted.  Being  told  water  and  fresh  provisions,  they 
sent  on  board  a plentiful  supply  of  fish,  hogs,  vegeta- 
bles, and  tubs  of  water,  for  which  they  would  take  no 
pay.  Finding  that  no  trade  was  to  be  had,  on  the  third 
day  the  captain  lifted  his  anchors,  and  was  towed  to  sea 
by  near  a hundred  boats. 

In  October,  1808,  about  the  time  that  the  annual 
Dutch  vessel  was  expected,  a ship  appeared  off  Naga- 
saki, under  Dutch  colors,  and,  without  any  suspicion, 
two  Dutchmen  of  the  factoiy,  followed  by  the  usual 
Japanese  officers  in  another  boat,  proceeded  to  board  her. 
The  Dutchmen  were  met  by  a boat  from  the  vessel,  and 
were  requested  in  Dutch  to  come  into  it.  Upon  their 
proposal  to  wait  for  the  Japanese  boat,  the  strangers 
boarded  them  witli  drawn  cutlasses,  and  forced  them  on 

1 See  “A  Voyage  Round  the  World,”  by  Archibald  Campbell,  a 
Scotchman,  who  served  as  a common  sailor  on  board  this  ship.  Dot'll' 
also  mentions  her  arrival. 


204 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


board  the  ship,  which  proved  to  be  the  English  frigate 
“Phaeton,”  Captain  Pellew.  The  Japanese  rowed  back 
with  the  news  of  what  had  happened,  by  which  Naga- 
saki and  all  its  officers  were  thrown  into  a state  of  the 
greatest  agitation. 

While  the  governor  of  Nagasaki  was  exchanging 
messages  with  director  Doeff  as  to  what  could  be  the 
meaning  of  this  occurrence,  Captain  Pellew,  who  was  in 
search  of  the  annual  Dutch  ship,  stood  directly  into  the 
harbor,  without  a pilot.  The  director,  fearing  to  be 
himself  taken,  fled,  with  the  other  Dutchmen,  to  the 
governor’s  house.  “ In  the  town,”  he  says,  “ everything 
was  in  frightful  embarrassment  and  confusion.  The 
governor  was  in  a state  of  indescribable  wrath,  which 
fell,  in  the  first  instance,  upon  the  Japanese  officers  for 
having  returned  without  the  Dutchmen,  or  information 
as  to  what  nation  the  ship  belonged  to.  Before  I could 
ask  him  a question,  lie  said  to  me,  with  fury  in  his  face, 
‘ Be  quiet,  director ; I shall  take  care  that  your  people 
are  restored.’  But  the  governor  soon  learned,  to  his 
consternation,  that  at  the  harbor  guard-house,  where  a 
thousand  men  ought  to  have  been  stationed,  there  were 
only  sixty  or  seventy,  and  those  uncommanded.” 

After  a while  came  a letter  from  one  of  the  detained 
Dutchmen,  in  these  words : “ A ship  is  arrived  from 
Bengal.  The  captain’s  name  is  Pellew ; he  asks  for 
water  and  provisions.”  The  governor  was  little  disposed 
to  yield  to  this  demand,  and,  about  midnight,  his  sec- 
retary waited  on  Doeff  to  inform  him  that  he  was  go- 
ing to  rescue  the  prisoners.  Being  questioned  as  to 
the  manner  how,  he  replied,  “ Your  countrymen  have 
been  seized  by  treachery ; I shall,  therefore,  go  alone, 
obtain  admission  on  board  by  every  demonstration  of 


SUICIDE  OF  THE  GOVERNOR 


205 


friendship,  seek  an  interview  with  the  captain,  and,  on  his 
refusal  to  deliver  his  prisoners,  stab  him  first,  and  then 
myself.”  It  cost  Doeff  a good  deal  of  trouble  to  dissuade 
the  secretary  and  the  governor  from  this  wild  scheme. 
The  plan  finally  adopted  was  to  manage  to  detain  the 
ship  till  vessels  and  men  could  be  collected  to  attack 
her. 

The  next  afternoon  one  of  the  detained  Dutchmen 
brought  on  shore  the  following  epistle  from  the  English 
captain : “ I have  ordered  my  own  boat  to  set  Gose- 
man  on  shore,  to  procure  me  provisions  and  water;  if 
he  does  not  return  with  such  before  evening,  I will  sail 
in  to-morrow  early,  and  burn  the  Japanese  and  Chinese 
vessels  in  the  harbor.”  The  provisions  and  water  were 
furnished,  though  the  Japanese  were  very  unwilling  to 
have  Goseman  return  on  board.  This  done,  the  two 
Dutchmen  were  dismissed. 

The  governor,  however,  was  still  intent  upon  calling 
the  foreign  ship  to  account.  One  scheme  was  to  pre- 
vent her  departure  by  sinking  vessels,  laden  with  stones, 
in  the  channel.  The  prince  of  Omura  proposed  to  burn 
her,  by  means  of  boats  filled  with  reeds  and  straw, 
offering  himself  to  lead ; but  while  these  schemes  were 
under  discussion,  the  frigate  weighed  and  sailed  out  of 
the  harbor.  The  affair,  however,  had  a tragical  ending. 
Within  half  an  hour  after  her  departure,  the  governor, 
to  save  himself  from  impending  disgrace,  cut  himself 
open,  as  did  several  officers  of  the  harbor-guard.  The 
prince  of  Hizen,  though  resident  at  Yedo  at  the  time, 
was  imprisoned  a hundred  days,  for  the  negligence  of 
his  servants  in  the  maintenance  of  the  guard,  and  was 
also  required  to  pay  an  annual  pension  to  the  son  of 
the  self-executed  governor,  whom  Doeff,  on  again 


20G 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


visiting  Yedo  in  1810,  found  to  be  in  high  favor  at 
court.1 

Up  to  1809, 2 the  ships  from  Batavia  had  arrived  regu- 
larly ; but  from  that  time  till  1813  neither  goods  nor 
news  reached  the  lonely  Dutchmen  at  Deshima.  The 
first  and  second  failure  they  bore  with  some  resignation, 
looking  confidently  forward  to  the  next  year ; “ but, 
alas ! ” says  our  by  this  time  very  thirsty,  and  some- 
what ragged,  director,  “it  passed  away  without  relief 
or  intelligence,  either  from  Europe  or  Batavia ! All  our 
provision  from  Java  was  by  this  time  consumed.  Butter 
we  had  not  seen  since  the  supply  of  1807,  for  the  ship 
“Goede  Frouw”(good  wife,  but  not  good  housewife) 
“had  brought  us  none  in  1809.  To  the  honor  of  the 
Japanese,  I must  acknowledge  that  they  did  everything 
in  their  power  to  supply  our  special  wants.  . . . The  in- 
spector, Shige  Dennozen,  among  others,  gave  himself 
much  trouble  to  distil  gin  for  us,  for  which  purpose  I 
supplied  him  with  a still-kettle  and  a tin  worm,  which  I 
chanced  to  possess.  He  had  tolerable  success,  but  could 
not  remove  the  resinous  flavor  of  the  juniper.  The  corn 
spirit  (whiskey),  which  he  managed  to  distil,  was  excel- 
lent. As  we  had  also  been  without  wine  since  the  supply 
of  1807,  with  the  exception  of  a small  quantity  brought 
by  the  “Goede  Frouw,”  he  likewise  endeavored  to  press 
it  for  us  from  the  wild  grapes  of  the  country,  but  with 
less  success.  He  obtained,  indeed,  a red  and  fermented 

1 See  also  Aston’s  paper  in  vol.  vii  of  the  Transactions  of  the  Asiatic 
Society  of  Japan.  — Edr. 

2 The  ships  of  1790,  1800,  1801,  1802,  anil  1803  hail  been  Americans. 
The  renewal  of  the  war  in  Europe  having  again  driven  the  Dutch  flag 
from  the  ocean,  the  ships  of  180(3  had  been  an  American  and  a Brem- 
ener;  and  those  of  1807  an  American  and  a Dane.  One  of  the  ships 
of  1800  was  also  an  American,  the  “ Rebecca.” 


SHIPS  FROM  BATAVIA 


207 


liquor,  but  it  was  not  wine.  I myself  endeavored  to  make 
beer ; and,  with  the  help  of  the  domestic  dictionaries  of 
Chaud  and  Bays,  I got  so  far  as  to  produce  a whitish 
liquor,  with  something  of  the  flavor  of  the  white  beer  of 
Haerlem,  but  which  would  not  keep  above  four  days,  as 
I could  not  make  it  work  sufficiently,  and  had  no  bitter 
with  which  to  flavor  it.  Our  great  deficiency  was  in 
the  articles  of  shoes  and  winter  clothing.  We  procured 
Japanese  slippers  of  straw,  and  covered  the  instep  with 
undressed  leather,  and  thus  draggled  along  the  street. 
Long  breeches  we  manufactured  from  an  old  carpet 
which  I had  by  me.  Thus  we  provided  for  our  wants 
as  well  as  we  could.  There  was  no  distinction  among 
us.  Every  one  who  had  saved  anything  threw  it  into 
the  common  stock,  and  we  thus  lived  under  a literal 
community  of  goods.” 

Great  was  the  delight  of  our  disconsolate  director, 
when,  in  the  spring  of  1813,  two  vessels  appeared  in 
the  offing  of  Nagasaki,  displaying  the  Dutch  flag,  and 
making  the  private  signals  agreed  upon  in  1809.  A 
letter  was  brought  on  shore,  announcing  the  arrival  from 
Batavia  of  Heer  Waardenaar,  Doeff’s  predecessor  as  di- 
rector, to  act  as  warehouse  master,  of  Heer  Cassa,  to 
succeed  Doeff  as  director,  and  of  three  assistants  or 
clerks.  A Japanese  officer  and  one  of  the  Dutch  clerks 
were  sent  on  board.  The  Japanese  speedily  returned, 
saying"  that  he  had  recognized  Waardenaar,  who  had 
declined,  however,  to  deliver  his  papers  except  to  Doeff 
personally,  and  that  all  the  officers  spoke  English,  whence 
he  concluded  that  the  ships  must  be  chartered  Americans. 
Doeff  went  on  board,  and  was  received  by  Waardenaar 
with  such  evident  embarrassment,  that  Doeff  declined  to 
open  the  package  of  papers  which  he  presented,  except  at 


208 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


Deshima,  whither  lie  was  accompanied  by  Waardenaar. 
This  package  being  opened  was  found  to  contain  a paper 
signed  “Raffles,  Lieutenant-governor  of  Java  and  its 
Dependencies,”  appointing  Waardenaar  and  a Dr.  Ainslie 
commissioners  in  Japan.  In  reply  to  his  question,  “ Who 
is  Raffles?  ” Doeff  learned  that  Holland  had  been  annexed 
to  France,  and  Java  occupied  by  the  English.  But  the 
annexation  of  Holland  to  France,  Doeff  patriotically  re- 
fused to  believe,  and,  in  spite  of  all  the  efforts  of  Waar- 
denaar to  shake  his  resolution,  he  declined  obedience  to 
an  order  coming  from  a colony  in  hostile  occupation. 

His  mind  thus  made  up,  Doeff  called  in  the  Japanese 
interpreters,  and  communicated  to  them  the  true  state  of 
the  case.  Alarmed  for  their  own  safety,  they  made  to 
Waardenaar  frightful  representations  of  the  probable 
massacre  of  the  crews  and  burning  of  the  vessels,  should 
this  secret  go  any  further,  — especially  considering  the 
hostile  feelings  towards  the  English,  excited  by  the  pro- 
ceedings of  the  “ Phaeton  ” in  1808  ; and  finally  the  com- 
missioners were  persuaded  to  enter  into  an  arrangement 
by  which  Doeff  was  to  remain  as  director,  and  was  to 
proceed  to  dispose  of  the  cargoes  as  usual,  first  paying 
out  of  the  proceeds  the  debt  which,  since  1807,  the 
factory  had  been  obliged  to  contract  for  its  sustenance. 
Ainslee  was  also  to  remain  as  factoiy  physician,  but 
passing  as  an  American.1 

The  cost  of  the  cargoes,  as  given  by  Raffles,  with  freight 

1 This  is  Doeff’s  account,  but,  according  to  Golownin,  at  that  time 
a prisoner  in  the  north  of  Japan  (see  next  chapter),  and  who  learned 
from  the  Japanese  the  arrival  of  the  two  vessels  above  mentioned,  he 
communicated  to  the  Japanese  the  fact  of  the  capture  of  Batavia  by 
the  English,  which  fact,  it  was  afterwards  reported  to  him,  the  Dutch 
had  confessed.  Baffles  also,  in  his  memoirs,  in  speaking  of  Ainslie  and 
his  good  treatment  by  the  Japanese,  clearly  implies  that  he  was  known 
to  be  English. 


PROFIT  AND  LOSS 


209 


and  charges,  amounted  to  two  hundred  and  seventy- three 
thousand  one  hundred  and  fifty  Spanish  dollars.  Out  of 
the  proceeds  in  Japan  had  to  be  paid  forty-eight  thousand 
six  hundred  and  forty-eight  dollars,  debts  of  the  factory; 
and  twenty-five  thousand  dollars  for  copper  to  make  up 
the  cargo,  bought  of  Doeff  at  a higher  rate  than  was 
paid  the  Japanese.  There  were  left  at  the  factory  four 
thousand  six  hundred  and  eighty-eight  dollars  in  cash, 
and  fifteen  thousand  dollars  in  woollens,  and  advances 
were  made  to  persons  on  board,  to  be  repaid  in  Batavia,  to 
the  amount  of  three  thousand  six  hundred  and  seventy- 
eight  dollars ; thus  swelling  the  whole  expenses  to  three 
hundred  and  seventy  thousand  one  hundred  and  sixty- 
four  dollar’s ; whereas  the  copper  and  camphor  of  the 
return  cargo  produced  only  three  hundred  and  forty-two 
thousand  one  hundred  and  twenty-six  dollars,  thus  leav- 
ing an  outgo  on  the  voyage  of  twenty-eight  thousand 
and  thirty-eight  dollars,  which  the  credits  in  Japan  and 
Batavia  were  hardly  sufficient  to  balance.  These  ships 
carried  out  an  elephant  as  a present  to  the  emperor ; 
but,  though  it  excited  great  curiosity,  the  Japanese  de- 
clined to  receive  it,  alleging  the  difficulty  of  transporting 
it  to  Yedo. 

In  1814,  a single  ship  was  sent  from  Batavia  with 
Ileer  Cassa  again  on  board.  He  brought  tidings  of  the 
insurrection  in  Europe  against  France,  and  relied  upon 
the  probable  speedy  restoration  of  Java  as  an  argument 
for  inducing  Doeff  to  submit  temporarily  to  the  English, 
— an  object  which  Sir  Stamford  Raffles  had  very  much 
at  heart.  When  Doeff  refused,  Cassa  resorted  to  intrigue. 
He  gained  over  two  of  the  interpreter’s,  through  whom 
he  endeavored  to  induce  at  Yedo  a refusal  to  allow  Doeff 
(whose  term  of  office  had  already  been  so  unusually 

VOL.  II. — 14 


210 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


protracted)  to  remain  any  longer  as  director.  Doeff, 
however,  got  wind  of  this  intrigue,  frightened  the  two 
interpreters  by  threatening  to  tell  the  whole  story  to  the 
governor  of  Nagasaki,  and  finally  carried  the  day.  lie 
paid,  however,  rather  dearly  for  his  obstinacy,  as  Raffles 
sent  no  more  ships,  and  director  Doeff  was  obliged  to 
pass  three  years  moi’e  without  either  goods  or  news, 
cooped  up  and  kept  on  short  allowance  in  his  little  island, 
with  the  satisfaction,  however,  that  there,  if  nowhere  else 
in  the  world,  the  flag  of  Holland  still  continued  to  wave. 

The  Japanese  government,  obliged  to  advance  the 
means  for  the  support  of  the  factory,  did  not  leave  the 
director  entirely  idle.  He  was  set  to  work,  with  the  aid 
of  ten  Japanese  interpreters,  in  compiling  a Dutch  and 
Japanese  dictionary,  for  the  use  of  the  Japanese  men  of 
science  and  the  imperial  interpreters.  A copy  of  this 
work  was  deposited  in  the  imperial  library  at  Yedo ; 
another,  made  by  Doeff  for  his  own  use,  lost,  with 
all  his  other  papers  and  effects,  on  his  return  to  Europe. 
The  original  rough  draft  of  the  work  was  found  after- 
wards, however,  at  Deshima,  by  Herr  Fisscher,  and 
having  made  a transcript,  though  less  perfect  than  the 
original,  he  brought  it  home  hi  1829,  and  deposited  it  in 
the  royal  museum  at  Amsterdam.1 

Thunberg,  as  we  have  seen,  could  hear  nothing  of 

1 Mr.  Medhurst,  English  missionary  at  Batavia,  who  has  published 
an  English  and  Japanese  vocabulary,  enumerates,  in  a letter  written 
in  1827,  as  among  his  helps  to  the  knowledge  of  the  language,  besides 
five  different  Japanese  and  Chinese  dictionaries,  a Dutch,  Japanese, 
and  Chinese  one,  in  two  thick  8vo  volumes ; also  a corresponding  one 
in  Japanese,  Chinese,  and  Dutch.  These  were  printed  in  Japan,  and 
were,  perhaps,  fruits  of  Doeff’s  labors. 

[See  also  paper  on  “ The  Early  Study  of  Dutch  in  Japan,”  by  Dr. 
Mitsukuri,  in  vol.  v of  the  Transactions  of  the  Asiatic  Society  of 
Japan.  — Edr.] 


A Coolie  with  Straw  Raincoat 


DUTCH^J APANESE  CHILDREN 


211 


semi-Dutch  children  born  in  Japan.  There  were  such, 
however,  in  Doeffs  time;  and  it  appears,  from  an  inci- 
dental remark  of  his,  that  although  no  birth  was  allowed 
to  take  place  at  Deshima,  yet  that  the  Japanese  female 
inmates  of  the  factory  were  permitted  to  nurse  their 
infants  in  the  houses  of  their  Dutch  fathers.  At  a very 
early  age,  however,  these  children  were  taken  away  to 
be  educated  as  pure  Japanese,  being  allowed  to  visit 
their  fathers  only  at  certain  specified  intervals.  The 
fathers,  however,  were  expected  to  provide  for  them, 
and  to  obtain  for  them,  by  purchase,  some  government 
office. 


CHAPTER  XLIII 


Golownin’s  Capture  and  Imprisonment — Conveyance  to  Hakodate  — Recep- 
tion and  Imprisonment  — Interpreters  — Interviews  with  the  Governor 
— Removal  to  Matsumae  — A Pupil  in  Russian  — A Japanese  Astron- 
omer— Escape  and  Recapture  — Treatment  afterwards  — Savans 
from  Yedo  — Japanese  Science — European  News — A Japanese 
Free-thinker — Soldiers — Their  Amusements — Thoughts  on  a Wed- 
ding — Domestic  Arrangements  — New  Year  — Return  of  the  “ Diana  ” 
— Reprisals  — A Japanese  Merchant  and  his  Female  Friend  — Sec- 
ond Return  of  the  “ Diana  ” — Third  Return  of  the  “ Diana  ” — Inter- 
view on  Shore  — Surrender  of  the  Prisoners — Japanese  Notification 
— The  Merchant  at  Home — The  Merchant  Class  in  Japan  — A.  D. 
IS  11-  ISIS. 

WHILE,  by  the  first  interruption  of  the  com- 
munication with  Batavia,  Doeff  and  his 
companions  were  secluded  at  Deshima,  a 
number  of  Europeans  were  held  in  a still  stricter  im- 
prisonment at  the  northern  extremity  of  Japan. 

Captain  Golownin,  an  educated  and  intelligent  Rus- 
sian naval  officer,  had  been  commissioned  in  1811,  as 
commander  of  the  sloop  of  war  “ Diana,”  to  survey  the 
southern  Kurile  Islands,  in  which  group  the  Russians 
include  botli  Sakhalin  and  Yezo,  which  they  reckon  as 
the  twenty-first  and  twenty-second  Kuriles.  At  the 
southern  extremity  of  Etorofu,  the  nineteenth  Kurile, 
some  Japanese  were  first  met  with  (July  13).  Soon 
after,  Golownin,  with  two  officers,  four  men,  and  a 
Kurile  interpreter,  having  landed  at  a bay  on  the  south- 
ern end  of  Kunashiri,  the  twentieth  Kurile,  where  the 
Japanese  had  a settlement  and  a garrison,  they  were 


EAST  COAST  OF  YEZO 


213 


invited  into  the  fort,  and  made  prisoners.  Thence  they 
were  taken,  partly  by  water  and  partly  by  land,  to 
Hakodate,  already  mentioned  as  a Japanese  town  at  the 
southern  extremity  of  Yezo.  This  journey  occupied 
four  weeks,  in  which,  by  Golownin’s  calculation,  they 
travelled  between  six  and  seven  hundred  miles.  The 
Japanese  stated  it  at  two  hundred  and  fifty-five  of  their 
leagues.  The  route  followed  was  along  the  east  coast 
of  the  island.  Every  two  miles  or  so  there  was  a popu- 
lous village,  from  all  of  which  extensive  fisheries  were 
carried  on,  evidently  the  great  business  of  the  inhabi- 
tants. The  fish  were  caught  in  great  nets,  hundreds  at 
once.  The  best  Avere  of  the  salmon  species,  but  every 
kind  of  marine  animal  was  eaten.  The  gathering  of 
sea-weeds  for  food  (of  the  kind  called  by  the  Russians 
sea-cabbage1)  also  constituted  a considerable  branch  of 
industry.  In  the  northern  villages  the  inhabitants  Avere 
principally  native  Kuriles,  Avith  a feAV  Japanese  officers. 
Within  a hundred  and  tAventy  or  thirty  miles  of  Hako- 
date the  villages  were  inhabited  entirely  by  Japanese, 
and  were  much  larger  and  handsomer  than  those  further 
north,  having  gardens  and  orchards,  and  distinguished 
by  their  scrupulous  neatness ; but  even  the  Kurile  in- 
habitants of  Yezo  Avere  far  superior  in  civilization  and 
comforts  to  those  of  the  more  northern  islands  belonging 
to  Russia. 

When  first  seized  by  the  Japanese,  the  Russians  Avere 
bound  with  cords,  some  about  the  thickness  of  a finger, 
and  others  still  smaller.  They  Avere  all  tied  exactly 

1 The  English  translator  of  Golownin’s  narrative  mentions  a species 
of  sea-weed  collected  for  eating,  on  the  northern  coast  of  Scotland  and 
Ireland,  and  there  called  dhulish , or,  when  boiled,  sloak,  and  which,  he 
says,  answers  exactly  to  Thunberg’s  description  of  the  edible  fucus  of 
the  Japanese. 


214 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


alike  (according  to  the  prescribed  method  for  binding 
those  arrested  on  criminal  charges),  the  cords  for  each 
having  the  same  number  of  knots  and  nooses,  and  all  at 
equal  distances.  There  were  loops  round  their  breasts 
and  necks ; their  elbows  were  drawn  almost  into  contact 
behind  their  backs,  and  their  hands  were  firmly  bound 
together.  From  these  fastenings  proceeded  a long  cord, 
the  end  of  which  was  held  by  a Japanese,  who,  on  the 
slightest  attempt  to  escape,  had  only  to  pull  it  to  make 
the  elbows  come  in  contact  with  great  pain,  and  so  to 
tighten  the  noose  about  the  neck  as  almost  to  produce 
strangulation.  Their  legs  were  also  tied  together  above 
the  ankles  and  above  the  knees.  Thus  tied,  they  were 
conveyed  all  the  way  to  Hakodate,  having  the  choice, 
for  the  land  part  of  the  route,  either  to  be  carried  in  a 
rude  sort  of  palanquin  formed  of  planks,  on  which  they 
were  obliged  to  lie  flat,  or  to  walk,  which  they  gener- 
ally preferred  as  less  irksome,  and  for  which  purpose 
the  cords  about  the  ankles  were  removed,  and  those 
above  the  knees  loosened.  The  cords  were  drawn  so 
tight  as  to  be  very  painful,  and  even  after  a while  to  cut 
into  the  flesh ; yet,  though  in  all  other  respects  the 
Japanese  seemed  inclined  to  consult  the  comfort  of  the 
prisoners,  they  would  not,  for  the  first  six  or  seven  days, 
be  induced  to  loosen  them,  of  which  the  chief  reason 
turned  out  to  be  their  apprehension  lest  the  prisoners 
might  commit  suicide,  — that  being  the  Japanese  re- 
source under  such  extremities. 

Their  escort  consisted  of  from  one  hundred  and  fifty 
to  two  hundred  men.  Two  Japanese  guides  from  the 
neighboring  villages,  changed  at  each  new  district,  led 
the  way,  bearing  handsomely-carved  staves.  Then  came 
three  soldiers,  then  Captain  Golownin  with  a soldier  on 


GOLOWNIN  IN  BONDAGE 


215 


one  side,  and  on  tlie  other  an  attendant  with  a t\\  ig  to 
drive  off  the  gnats,  which  were  troublesome,  and  against 
which  his  bound  hands  prevented  him  from  defending 
himself.  Behind  came  an  officer  holding  the  ends  of  the 
ropes  by  which  the  prisoner  was  bound,  then  a party  of 
Kuriles,  bearing  his  kago,  followed  by  another  relief 
party.  The  other  captives  followed,  one  by  one,  es- 
corted in  the  same  manner.  Finally  came  three  soldiers, 
and  a number  of  Japanese  and  Kurile  servants  carrying 
provisions  and  baggage.  Each  of  the  escort  had  a 
wooden  tablet,  suspended  from  his  girdle,  on  which 
were  inscribed  his  duties  and  which  prisoner  he  was 
stationed  with ; and  the  commanding  officer  had  a cor- 
responding list  of  the  whole.  The  prisoners  had  the 
same  fare  with  the  escort,  — three  meals  a day,  gener- 
ally of  rice  boiled  to  a thick  gruel,  two  pieces  of  pickled 
radish1  for  seasoning,  soup  made  of  radishes  or  various 
wild  roots  and  herbs,  a kind  of  macaroni,  and  a piece 
of  broiled  or  boiled  fish.  Sometimes  they  had  stewed 
mushrooms,  and  each  a hard-boiled  egg.  Their  general 
drink  was  very  indifferent  tea,  without  sugar,  and  some- 
times sake.  Their  conductors  frequently  stopped  at  the 
villages  to  rest,  or  to  drink  tea  and  smoke  tobacco,  and 
they  also  rested  for  an  hour  after  dinner.  They  halted 
for  the  night  an  hour  or  two  before  sunset,  usually  in  a 
village  with  a small  garrison.  They  were  always  con- 
ducted first  to  the  front  of  the  house  of  the  officer  in 

1 “ The  Japanese  radish,”  says  Golownin,  “ is  in  form  and  taste  very 
different  from  ours.  It  is  thin  and  extremely  long.  The  taste  is  not 
very  acrid,  but  sweetish,  almost  like  our  turnips.  Whole  fields  are 
covered  with  it.  A great  part  of  the  crop  is  salted,  the  remainder  is 
buried  in  the  ground  for  winter,  and  boiled  in  soup.  ^ot  even  the 
radish-leaves  remain  unused;  they  are  boiled  in  soup,  or  salted  and 
eaten  as  salad.  They  manure  the  radish  fields  wTith  night-soil;  this  we 
ourselves  saw  at  Matsumae.” 


216 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


command,  and  were  seated  on  benches  covered  with 
mats,  when  the  officer  came  out  to  inspect  them.  They 
were  then  taken  to  a neat  house  (which  generally,  when 
they  first  entered,  was  hung  round  with  striped  cotton 
cloth),  and  were  placed  together  in  one  apartment,  the 
ends  of  their  ropes  being  fastened  to  iron  hooks  in  the 
walls.  Their  boots  and  stockings  were  pulled  off,  and 
their  feet  bathed  in  warm  water  with  salt  in  it.  For 
bedding  they  had  the  Japanese  mattresses  — quilts  with 
a thick  wadding  — folded  double. 

After  the  first  six  or  seven  days  their  bonds  were 
loosened,  and  they  got  on  more  comfortably.  The 
Japanese  took  the  greatest  care  of  their  health,  not 
allowing  them  to  wet  their  feet,  carrying  them  across 
the  shallowest  streams,  and  furnishing  them  with 
quilted  Japanese  gowns  as  a protection  against  the 
rain. 

At  Hakodate  they  were  received  by  a great  crowd, 
among  which  were  several  persons  with  silk  dresses 
mounted  on  horses  with  rich  caparisons.  “ Both  sides  of 
the  road,”  says  Golownin,  “ were  crowded  with  specta- 
tors, yet  every  one  behaved  with  the  utmost  decorum. 
I particularly  marked  their  countenances,  and  never 
once  observed  a malicious  look,  or  any  sign  of  hatred 
towards  us,  and  none  showed  the  least  disposition  to 
insult  us  by  mockery  or  derision.”  He  had  observed 
the  same  thing  in  the  villages  through  which  they  had 
passed,  where  the  prisoners  had  received,  as  they  did 
afterwards,  from  numerous  individuals,  many  touching 
instances  of  commiseration  and  sympathy. 

At  Hakodate  they  were  confined  in  a prison,  a high 
wooden  enclosure,  or  fence,  surrounded  by  an  earthen 
wall  somewhat  lower  (and  on  their  first  approach  to  it 


GOLOWNIN  AT  HAKODATE 


217 


hung  with  striped  cloth),1  inside  of  which  was  a long, 
barn-like  building.  Within  this  building  were  a number 
of  small  apartments,  scarcely  six  feet  square,  formed  of 
thick  spars,  and  exactly  like  cages,  in  which  the  prisoners 
were  shut  up,  the  passages  and  other  spaces  being  oc- 
cupied by  the  guards.2  Their  food  was  much  worse 
than  on  the  journey  (probably  Japanese  prison  fare), 
boiled  rice,  soup  of  warm  water  and  grated  radish,  a 
handful  of  finely  chopped  young  onions  with  boiled 
beans,  and  one  or  two  pickled  cucumbers  or  radishes. 
Instead  of  the  radish-soup,  puddings  of  bean-meal  and 
rancid  fish-oil  were  sometimes  served.  Very  rarely  they 
had  half  a fish,  with  soy.  Their  drink  was  warm  water, 
and  occasionally  bad  tea. 

Their  only  means  of  communicating  with  the  Japa- 
nese had  been,  at  first,  a Kurile,  one  of  the  prisoners, 
avIio  knew  a little  Russian,  and  probably  about  as  much 
Japanese.  At  Hakodate  another  interpreter  presented 
himself ; but  he,  a man  of  fifty,  naturally  stupid,  and 
knowing  nothing  of  any  European  language,  except  a 
little  Russian,  did  not  prove  much  better. 

The  second  day  they  were  conducted  through  the 
streets,  by  a guard  of  soldiers  (the  prisoners  each  with 
a rope  round  his  waist  held  by  a Japanese),  to  a fort  or 
castle,  which  was  surrounded  by  palisades  and  an  earthen 
wall.  Within  was  a court-yard,  in  the  centre  of  which 
was  a brass  cannon  on  a badly  constructed  carriage. 
From  this  court-yard  Golownin,  and  after  him  each  of 

1 The  fort  on  the  island  where  they  were  taken  prisoners,  when  first 
seen  from  the  ship,  was  hung  round  with  striped  cloths,  which  con- 
cealed the  walls.  These  cloths  had  embrasures  painted  on  them,  but 
in  so  rough  a manner  that  the  deception  could  be  perceived  at  a consid- 
erable distance. 

2 The  description  of  this  prison  corresponds  very  well  to  Kiimpfer’s 
description  of  the  one  at  Nagasaki. 


218 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


the  others,  was  conducted  through  a wide  gate,  which 
was  immediately  shut  behind  them,  into  a large  hall,  of 
which  half  had  a pavement  of  small  stones.  The  other 
half  had  a floor,  or  platform,  raised  three  feet  from  the 
ground,  and  covered  with  curiously  wrought  mats.  The 
hall  was  fifty  or  sixty  feet  long,  of  equal  breadth,  eigh- 
teen feet  high,  and  divided  by  movable  screens,  neatly 
painted,  from  other  adjoining  rooms.  There  were  two 
or  three  apertures  for  windows,  with  paper  instead  of 
glass,  admitting  an  obscure,  gloomy  light.  The  gov- 
ernor sat  on  the  floor,  in  the  middle  of  the  elevated  plat- 
form, with  two  secretaries  behind  him.  On  liis  left  (the 
Japanese  place  of  honor)  was  the  next  in  command;  on 
his  right,  another  officer ; on  each  side  of  these,  other 
officers  of  inferior  rank.  They  all  sat,  in  the  Japanese 
fashion,  with  their  legs  folded  under  them,  two  paces 
apart,  clothed  in  black  dresses,  their  short  swords  in 
their  girdles,  and  their  longer  ones  lying  at  their  left. 
The  new  interpreter  sat  on  the  edge  of  the  raised  floor, 
and  an  inferior  officer  at  each  of  the  corners  of  it.  On 
the  walls  hung  irons  for  securing  prisoners,  ropes,  and 
various  instruments  of  punishment.  The  Russian  pris- 
oners stood  in  front  of  the  raised  floor,  the  officers  in  a 
line,  the  sailors  behind.  The  Kurile  was  seated  on  the 
stones.  They  underwent  a very  rigorous  and  particular 
examination,  all  their  answers  being  written  down.  The 
questions  related  to  their  birthplaces  ; their  families  (and, 
when  it  appeared  that  they  came  from  different  towns, 
how  it  happened  that  they  served  on  board  the  same 
ship)  ; the  burden  and  force  of  their  vessel ; then-  own 
rank ; their  object ; their  route  since  leaving  St.  Peters- 
burg, which  they  were  required  to  trace  on  a chart,  etc., 
etc. 


Farm  Scenes:  Coolies  carrying  Bamboo  Baskets;  An  Irrigation  System 


OFFICIAL  EXAMINATIONS 


219 


Among  other  things,  the  governor  remarked  that  Lax- 
man  (who  had  visited  Japan  in  1792)  wore  a long  tail, 
and  covered  his  hair  with  flour ; whereas  the  prisoners 
(powder  and  queues  having  gone  out  of  fashion  in  the 
interval)  had  their  hair  cut  short  and  unpowdered ; and 
he  asked  if  some  change  of  religion  had  not  Liken  place 
in  Russia.  When  told  that  in  Russia  there  was  no  con- 
nection between  religion  and  the  way  of  wearing  the 
hair,  the  Japanese  laughed,  but  expressed  great  sur- 
prise that  there  should  not  be  some  express  law  on  the 
subject. 

Eighteen  days  after,  they  had  a second  examination, 
on  which  occasion  a letter,  of  which  the  Japanese  wanted 
an  interpretation,  was  delivered  .to  them.  It  had  been 
sent  on  shore  from  their  ship  along  with  their  baggage, 
expressing  a determination  to  return  to  Okhotsk  for 
reinforcements,  and  never  to  quit  the  coast  of  Japan  till 
the  prisoners  were  rescued.  This  reexamination  was 
continued  for  two  days,  in  which  many  inquiries  were 
made  about  Chwostoff,  and  the  papers  he  had  left  behind 
him,  one  of  which  was  produced.  The  Russian  prisoners 
tried  to  make  out  that  the  proceedings  of  Chwostoff 
were  without  authority  from  the  Russian  government ; 
but  the  Japanese  evidently  did  not  believe  them. 

After  one  or  two  more  examinations  they  were  re- 
moved to  Matsumae,  guarded,  as  before,  by  soldiers,  but 
furnished  with  horses,  as  well  as  litters  or  kagos,  on  or 
in  which  the  prisoners  were  suffered  to  ride,  the  Japa- 
nese,  however,  retaining  the  end  of  a rope  by  which  they 
were  still  bound.  Near  Matsumae,  they  were  shown  a 
battery  on  a high  hill,  intended  to  command  the  harbor, 
but  ill  adapted  for  that  purpose.  It  had  three  or  four 
small  brass  pieces  on  carriages,  and  an  eighteen  or  a 


220 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


twenty-four  pounder,  apparently  cast  in  Europe,  mounted 
on  cross-beams.  Matsumae  lies  on  a large,  open  bay, 
with  four  fathoms  of  water  at  low  tide ; and  according 
to  the  Japanese,  is  about  two  hundred  of  their  leagues 
(five  hundred  miles)  from  Yedo,  the  land  journey  thither, 
after  crossing  the  strait,  being  made  in  twenty-three 
days. 

A great  crowd  collected  to  see  them  enter  the  town, 
ropes  being  stretched  to  keep  the  passage  clear.  Con- 
fined in  a prison  much  like  the  one  at  Hakodate,  and 
close  under  the  ramparts  of  the  castle,  they  underwent 
many  more  examinations  before  the  bugi5  or  governor 
of  Matsumae.  The  inquisitiveness  of  their  questioners, 
which  seemed  to  be  without  limit,  proved  a great  tor- 
ment to  the  Russians,  and  sometimes  put  them  into  a 
passion ; but  the  Japanese  were  always  cool  and  polite. 
They  were  supplied  with  much  better  food  than  at  Ha- 
kodate, fresh  and  salt  fish,  boiled  or  fried  in  poppy-seed 
oil,  with  soy  for  sauce.  They  also  had,  after  the  winter 
set  in,  flesh  of  sea-dogs,  hares,  and  bears,  and  attempts 
were  even  made  to  cook  for  them  after  the  Russian 
fashion.  For  drink  they  had  tea1  and  warm  sake. 
They  were  furnished  with  warm  clothing,  both  their 
own  which  had  been  sent  on  shore  for  them;  and  Jap- 
anese gowns,  for  which  a tailor  was  sent  to  measure 
them ; and,  when  the  weather  grew  colder,  they  had 
hearths,  after  the  Japanese  fashion,  made  in  the  prison, 
at  a little  distance  from  each  cage,  on  which  charcoal 

1 The  tea  in  common  use,  Golownin,  like  other  travellers  in  Japan, 
observed  to  be  of  a very  inferior  quality.  Green  tea  was  used  as  a 
luxury  on  occasions  of  ceremony.  Sugar  was  rare  and  costly,  being 
brought  from  Batavia  by  the  Dutch,  and  packed  for  retail  in  small 
baskets.  Golownin  saw  also  a very  inferior  kind,  which  he  concluded 
to  be  of  domestic  manufacture. 


MTJRAKAMI  TEISUKE 


221 


fires  were  kept  burning.  A physician  visited  them 
daily  to  look  after  their  health,  and  if  anything  seri- 
ous appeared  he  brought  a consulting  physician  with 
him. 

After  a time  their  accommodations  were  much  im- 
proved. Instead  of  confinement  in  separate  cages,  they 
had  a large  room  covered  with  mats.  A young  man, 
named  Murakami  Teisuke,  was  now  brought  to  them, 
whom  they  were  requested  to  instruct  in  the  Russian 
language.  He  proved  a very  apt  scholar,  made  rapid 
progress,  soon  learned  to  speak,  read  and  write  Russian, 
and  became  very  much  attached  to  his  instructors.  They 
in  their  turn  learned  something  of  Japanese  ; but  it  was 
forbidden  to  teach  them  the  written  characters.  Teisuke 
was  exceedingly  anxious  to  collect  statistical  information 
concerning  Russia.  A Japanese  man  of  science,  who 
had  an  English  sextant,  a compass,  a case  of  mathemat- 
ical instruments,  etc.,  also  paid  them  a visit.  He  knew 
how  to  find  the  latitude  by  observing  the  sun’s  altitude 
at  noon,  using  in  his  calculations  some  tables  obtained, 
as  he  said,  from  a Dutch  book ; and  he  was  exceedingly 
anxious  to  gain  additional  information,  especially  how 
to  find  the  longitude  by  lunar  observations;  but  this, 
for  want  of  the  necessary  tables,  the  Russians,  much  to 
his  disgust,  were  unable  to  teach  him. 

The  first  snow  fell  about  the  middle  of  October,  but 
soon  melted.  The  winter  set  in  about  the  middle  of 
November,  with  deep  snows,  which  lasted  till  April. 

As  the  spring  opened  they  were  permitted  to  take 
walks  and  excursions  in  the  vicinity  of  the  town,  and 
were  presently  removed  to  a house,  composed  of  three 
apartments,  separated  by  screens ; but  were  still  closely 
watched  and  guarded.  Tired  of  this  confinement,  of 


222 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


which  they  could  see  no  end,  the  Russians  succeeded  in 
getting  out  of  their  prison,  and  in  gaining  the  mountains 
back  of  the  town,  whence  they  descended  to  the  coast, 
hoping  to  find  some  means  of  escape  by  sea.  But,  after 
seven  days’  wanderings  and  many  sufferings,  they  were 
retaken.  The  island  was  found  to  be  composed  of  steep 
hills,  separated  by  precipitous  ravines,  with  hardly  any 
plain  land,  except  near  the  coast.  The  interior  was  un- 
inhabited, except  by  wood-cutters  employed  in  getting 
timber  and  preparing  charcoal. 

When  retaken,  they  were  confined  in  the  common  jail 
of  the  town,  but  their  accommodations  were  not  worse 
than  they  had  been  in  the  other  two  prisons.  No  ill-will 
was  shown  towards  them  by  any  of  the  officials,  not 
even  by  those  whose  fives  their  flight  had  endangered. 
The  soldier  who  was  held  the  most  responsible  for  their 
escape,  and  who  had  been  degraded  in  consequence 
to  the  rank  of  a common  servant,  showed  even  more 
alacrity  than  before  in  their  behalf.  In  a month  or  two 
they  were  removed  back  to  their  former  prison,  where 
they  were  visited  the  next  spring  (1814)  by  an  inter- 
preter of  the  Dutch  language,  who  had  come  from  Yedo, 
and  by  a learned  man  from  the  same  capital,  who  was 
indeed  no  other  than  Doeff’s  astronomer  Globius,  but 
known  to  the  Russians  as  Adaclii  Sanai,  both  of  whom 
desired  to  learn  the  Russian  language.  The  interpreter, 
a young  man  of  twenty-seven,  and  already  acquainted 
with  the  rules  of  European  grammar,  made  rapid  progress, 
and  soon  applied  himself  to  translate  a treatise  on 
vaccination,  which  one  of  the  returned  Japanese  had 
brought  from  Russia.  The  astronomer  busied  himself 
in  translating  a Russian  school  treatise  on  arithmetic, 
carried  to  Japan  by  one  of  the  Japanese  conveyed  home 


INTELLIGENCE  OF  THE  JAPANESE  223 

by  Laxman  in  1792.  It  was  evident  that  he  had  con- 
siderable mathematical  learning.  The  Japanese  astrono- 
mers had  made  decided  progress  since  the  time  of  Tliun- 
berg.  Globius  understood  the  Copernican  system,  was 
acquainted  with  the  orbit  and  satellites  of  Uranus; 
knew  the  nature  and  doctrine  of  sines  and  tangents,  and 
was  familiar  with  the  difference  between  the  old  and 
new  styles.  He  assured  Golownin  that  the  Japanese 
could  calculate  eclipses  with  much  exactness,  and  he 
studied  with  great  attention  a treatise  on  physics,  which, 
with  other  books,  had  been  sent  on  shore  in  Golownin ’s 
chest. 

Nor  were  the  Japanese  without  knowledge  of  the 
revolutions  going  on  in  Europe.  The  Russians  were 
told  the  news  of  the  taking  of  Moscow,  brought  to 
Nagasaki  by  the  two  vessels  from  Batavia ; but  with 
patriotism  equal  to  that  shown  by  Doeff,  in  relation  to 
the  annexation  of  Holland  to  France,  they  refused  to 
believe  it.  The  Japanese  gave  them  a minute  descrip- 
tion of  these  two  vessels,  and  also  of  the  elephant  which 
they  brought,  his  length,  height,  thickness,  food,  etc. 
A native  of  Sumatra,  the  keeper  of  the  elephant,  was 
described  with  equal  minuteness. 

Teisuke,  whom  Golownin  had  taught  Russian,  was 
found  to  be  quite  a free-thinker,  both  in  politics  and 
religion ; but,  in  general,  the  Japanese  seemed  very 
superstitious,  of  which,  presently,  we  shall  see  some 
instances. 

The  soldiers  Golownin  observed  to  be  of  two  classes, 
those  of  the  local  administration,  and  others  whom  he 
calls  imperial  soldiers,  and  who  appear,  by  his  descrip- 
tion, to  be  precisely  the  same  with  those  whom  Kampfer 
describes  under  the  name  of  Doshin,  as  attached  to  the 


224 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


service  of  the  governor  of  Nagasaki,  and  indeed,  this 
same  name,  in  a modified  form,  is  given  to  them  by 
Golownin.  They  took  precedence  of  the  others,  and 
were  so  handsomely  clothed  and  equipped  as  to  be  mis- 
taken at  first  for  officers.  The  profession  of  arms,  like 
most  others  in  Japan,  is  hereditary.  The  arms  of  the 
soldiers,  besides  the  two  swords,  were  matchlocks,  — 
winch,  when  they  fired,  they  placed,  not  against  the 
shoulder,  but  the  right  cheek,  — bows  and  arrows,  and 
long  pikes,  heavy  and  inconvenient. 

They  could  all  read,  and  spent  much  time  in  reading 
aloud,  which  they  did  much  in  the  same  droning,  half- 
chanting  tone  in  which  the  psalms  are  read  at  funerals 
in  Russia.  Great  surprise  was  expressed  that  the  Rus- 
sian sailors  were  unable  to  read  and  write  ; and,  also, 
that  but  one  Russian  book  was  found  in  the  officer’s 
baggage,  and  that  on  much  worse  paper,  and  much 
worse  bound,  than  those  they  had  in  F rencli  and  other 
languages.  It  was  shrewdly  asked  if  the  Russians  did 
not  know  how  to  print  books? 

Playing  at  cards  and  draughts  was  a very  common 
amusement.  The  cards  were  at  first  known  to  the 
Japanese  by  their  European  names,  and  were  fifty-two 
in  the  pack.  Owing,  however,  to  the  pecuniary  losses 
— for  the  Japanese  were  great  gamesters  — and  fatal 
disputes  to  which  cards  gave  rise,  they  were  strictly 
prohibited.  But  this  law  was  evaded  by  the  invention 
of  a pack  of  forty-eight  cards  much  smaller  than  those 
of  Europe.  Their  game  at  draughts  was  extremely 
difficult  and  complicated.  They  made  use  of  a large 
board,  and  four  hundred  men,  which  they  moved  about 
in  many  directions,  and  which  were  liable  to  be  taken  in 
various  ways.  The  Russian  sailors  played  at  draughts 


DOMESTIC  RELATIONS 


225 


in  the  European  way,  which  the  Japanese  soon  learned 
to  imitate,  so  that  the  game,  and  the  Russian  terms 
employed  in  playing  it,  soon  became  familiar  throughout 
the  city  of  Matsumae. 

The  following  anecdote  throws  some  light  on  Jap- 
anese domestic  relations : “ Our  interpreter,  Uyehara 
Ivumajiro  (this  was  the  first  interpreter),  visited  us  the 
day  after  the  marriage  of  his  daughter,  and  having  men- 
tioned the  marriage,  said  that  he  had  wept  very  much. 
‘ Why  wept,’  said  we,  4 since  on  such  occasions  it  is 
usual  only  to  rejoice  ? ’ ‘ Certainly,’  he  answered,  ‘ I 

should  have  rejoiced,  were  I but  convinced  that  the  man 
will  love  my  daughter  and  make  her  happy  ; but,  as  the 
contrary  often  happens  in  the  married  state,  a father  who 
gives  his  daughter  to  a husband  cannot  be  indifferent, 
for  fear  of  future  misfortunes.’  He  spoke  this  with  tears 
in  his  eyes,  and  in  a voice  which  affected  us.” 

Of  the  value  which  the  Japanese  put  upon  female 
society  the  following  curious  instance  occurred.  The 
prisoners’  meals  were  at  one  time  superintended  by  an 
old  officer  of  sixty,  who  was  very  civil,  and  frequently 
consoled  them  with  assurances  that  they  should  be  sent 
home.  One  day  he  brought  them  three  portraits  of 
Japanese  ladies,  richly  dressed,  which,  after  examining, 
they  handed  back  ; but  the  old  man  insisted  they  should 
keep  them,  and,  when  asked  why,  he  observed  that, 
when  time  hung  heavy  on  their  hands,  they  might  con  - 
sole themselves  by  looking  at  them ! 

For  the  first  fortnight  of  the  new  year  all  business 
was  suspended.  Nothing  was  thought  of  except  visit- 
ing and  feasting.  In  the  latter  half  of  the  month  the 
more  industrious  resumed  their  employments.  All  who 
can,  procure  new  clothes  on  this  occasion,  and  the 

VOL.  II.  — 15 


226 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


Japanese  insisted  upon  furnishing  their  prisoners  in  the 
same  way.  “ Custom  requires,”  says  Golownin,  “ that 
each  person  should  visit  all  his  acquaintances  in  the 
place  in  which  he  resides,  and  send  letters  of  congratu- 
lation to  those  who  are  at  a distance.  Our  interpreters 
and  guards  were  accordingly  employed,  for  some  days 
previous  to  the  festival,  in  writing  letters  of  that  kind 
and  visiting-cards.  On  the  latter  the  names  of  the 
person  from  whom  the  card  comes,  and  for  whom  it  is 
intended,  are  written,  and  the  opportunity  by  which  it  is 
presented  is  also  noted.  Teisuke  translated  for  us  one 
of  his  congratulatory  letters,  addressed  to  the  officer  at 
Kunashiri  by  whom  we  had  been  entrapped,  and  which 
was  to  the  following  effect : “ Last  year  you  were  happy, 
and  I greatly  desire  that  this  new  year  you  may  enjoy 
good  health,  and  experience  happiness  and  prosperity  in 
every  undertaking.  I still  respect  you  as  formerly,  and 
request  that  you  will  not  forget  me.  Teisuke.” 

It  is  evident,  from  Golownin’s  narrative,  that  the 
houses,  furniture,  and  domestic  arrangement,  at  Matsu- 
mae,  notwithstanding  the  coldness  of  the  climate,  dif- 
fered in  nothing  from  those  in  nse  in  the  more  southerly 
islands.  The  Japanese,  Golownin  observed,  were,  com- 
pared with  the  Russians,  very  small  eaters.  They  were 
also  much  more  temperate  in  drinking,  it  being  looked 
upon  as  disgraceful  to  be  drunk  in  the  day-time,  or  at 
any  time,  extraordinary  festivities  excepted. 

Late  in  the  summer  following  the  capture  of  Golownin 
and  his  companions,  the  “ Diana,”  now  under  the  com- 
mand of  Captain  Rikord,  came  back  to  Kunashiri.  Of 
the  two  Japanese  seized  by  Chwostoff,  one  had  died. 
The  other,  who  called  himself  Ryozayemon,  Rikord 
had  on  board,  along  with  six  other  Japanese,  lately 


Artisans  for  the  Common  People:  Repairing  Wooden  Clogs;  Repairing 

Tata mi 


CAPTAIN  RIKORD 


227 


shipwrecked  on  Kamtschatka,  hoping  to  exchange  these 
seven  for  the  seven  Russians.  On  reaching  the  bay 
where  Golownin  had  been  taken,  he  saw  a new  battery 
of  fourteen  guns.  All  the  buildings  were  covered  with 
striped  cloth,  the  boats  were  drawn  up  on  the  shore,  and 
not  a person  appeared. 

Ryozayemon,  in  his  six  years’  captivity,  had  learned 
some  Russian,  and  he  was  employed  to  write  a short  let- 
ter from  Captain  Rikord  to  the  commander  on  shore, 
stating  his  having  brought  back  the  seven  Japanese,  and 
requesting  the  restoration  of  his  countrymen.  From 
some  circumstances,  the  good  faith  of  Ryozayemon  was 
suspected,  and  the  contents  of  the  letter  written  by  him 
rather  distrusted ; still  it  was  finally  sent  on  shore  by 
one  of  the  Japanese,  upon  whom  the  batteries  fired  as 
he  landed,  and  who  returned  no  more. 

Three  days  after,  a second  Japanese  was  sent  with  a 
written  message  in  the  Russian  language ; but  he  came 
back,  saying  that  the  governor  had  refused  to  receive  it, 
and  that  he  had  been  himself  thrust  out  of  the  castle. 
As  a last  resource,  Ryozayemon  — who  represented  him- 
self as  a merchant,  and  a person  of  some  consequence, 
though  in  fact  he  had  been  only  a fishing  agent  — was 
sent  on  shore,  with  another  Japanese,  on  his  promise  to 
return  with  such  information  as  he  could  obtain.  He 
did  return,  without  the  other,  and  stated  that  the  Rus- 
sians were  all  dead.  Sent  on  shore  to  obtain  in  writing 
a confirmation  of  this  verbal  statement,  he  came  back  no 
more. 

Rikord  now  determined  to  seize  any  Japanese  vessel 
that  might  be  entering  or  leaving  the  harbor.  A large 
Japanese  ship  soon  appeared,  from  which,  as  the  Russian 
boats  approached  her,  several  of  her  crew  of  sixty  men 


228 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


jumped  into  the  water.  Nine  were  drowned,  some  es- 
caped to  the  shore,  and  others  were  picked  up  by  the 
Russian  boats.  The  captain,  who  was  taken  on  board 
the  “ Diana,”  appeared,  from  his  rich  yellow  dress,  his 
swords,  and  other  circumstances,  to  be  a person  of  dis- 
tinction. Being  interrogated  in  Japanese,  of  which 
Rikord  had  picked  up  a little  from  Ryozayemon,  he 
answered  with  great  frankness  that  his  name  was  Taka- 
taya  Ivahei,  that  he  was  the  owner  of  ten  ships,  and 
bound  from  Yetorofu  (the  nineteenth  Kurile)  to  Hako- 
date with  a cargo  of  dried  fish,  but  had  been  obliged  by 
contrary  winds  to  put  into  the  bay  of  Kunashiri. 

Being  shown  the  letter  written  by  Ryozayemon,  he 
exclaimed,  “ Captain  Moor 1 and  five  Russians  are  now 
in  the  city  of  Matsumae.”  This  information  was  hardly 
credited,  and  Rikord  finally  resolved  to  convey  his  cap- 
tive to  Kamtschatka,  hoping,  in  the  course  of  the  winter, 
to  obtain  through  him  some  information  respecting  the 
fate  of  the  Russians,  and  the  views  of  the  Japanese  gov- 
ernment, especially  as  he  seemed  far  superior  to  any  of 
the  Japanese  with  whom  they  had  hitherto  met,  and 
therefore  more  likely  to  understand  the  policy  of  those 
who  ruled  in  Japan. 

“I  informed  him,”  says  Rikord,  “that  he  must  hold 
himself  in  readiness  to  accompany  me  to  Russia,  and  ex- 
plained the  circumstances  which  compelled  me  to  make 
such  an  arrangement.  He  understood  me  perfectly, 
and  when  I proceeded  to  state  my  belief  that  Captain 
Golownin,  Mr.  Moor,  and  the  rest  of  the  Russian  pris- 
oners had  been  put  to  death,  he  suddenly  interrupted 


1 This  was  the  name  of  one  of  Golownin’s  fellow-prisoners,  who 
had  made  himself  quite  famous  among  the  Japanese  by  his  skill  as  a 
draftsman. 


A JAPANESE  MERCHANT 


229 


me,  exclaiming,  ‘ That  is  not  true.  Captain  Moor  and 
five  Russians  are  living  in  Matsumae,  where  they  are 
well  treated,  and  enjoy  the  freedom  of  walking  about 
the  city,  accompanied  by  two  officers.’  When  I inti- 
mated that  we  intended  to  take  him  with  us,  he  replied, 
with  astonishing  coolness,  ‘ Well,  I am  ready  ’ ; and 
merely  requested  that,  on  our  arrival  in  Russia,  he  might 
continue  to  live  with  me.  This  I promised  he  should  do, 
and  likewise  that  I would  carry  him  back  to  Japan  in 
the  ensuing  year.  lie  then  seemed  perfectly  reconciled 
to  his  unlooked-for  destiny. 

“The  four  Japanese,  who  still  remained  on  board  the 
ship,  understood  not  a word  of  Russian,  and  were,  be- 
sides, so  afflicted  with  the  scurvy  1 that  they  would,  in 
all  probability,  have  perished  had  they  wintered  in 
Ivamtschatka.  I therefore  thought  it  advisable  to  set 
them  at  liberty,  and,  having  furnished  them  with  every 
necessary,  I ordered  them  to  be  put  on  shore,  hoping 
that  they  would,  in  gratitude,  give  a good  account  of 
the  Russians  to  their  countrymen.2  In  their  stead,  I 
determined  to  take  four  seamen  from  the  Japanese  ves- 
sel, who  might  be  useful  in  attending  on  Kahei,  to 
whom  I left  the  choice  of  the  individuals.  lie  earnestly 
entreated  that  none  of  the  seamen  might  be  taken, 

1 Golownin  mentions  the  scurvy  as  a prevailing  disease  among  the 
Japanese,  perhaps  occasioned  by  their  thin  diet. 

2 These  released  Japanese  were  sent  to  Matsumae,  and,  after  re- 
maining about  a week,  were  forwarded  to  Yedo.  The  shipwrecked  men 
did  not  give,  so  Golownin  was  informed,  a very  favorable  account  of 
their  entertainment  in  Kamtschatka.  Rybzayemon  praised  Irkutsk, 
but  represented  eastern  Siberia  and  Okhotsk  as  a miserable  country, 
where  scarce  anybody  was  to  be  seen  except  beggars  and  government 
officers.  He  thought  very  meanly  of  the  Russians,  a few  individuals 
excepted.  From  their  military  spirit,  even  the  boys  in  the  street  play- 
ing soldier,  he  thought  they  must  meditate  conquest,  probably  that  of 
Japan. 


230 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


observing  that  they  were  extremely  stupid,  and  that  he 
feared  they  would  die  of  grief,  owing  to  the  dread  they 
entertained  of  the  Russians.  The  earnestness  of  his  so- 
licitations led  me  in  some  measure  to  doubt  that  our  com- 
rades were  really  living  in  Matsumae,  and  I repeated,  in 
a decided  manner,  my  determination  to  take  four  of  the 
seamen.  He  then  begged  that  I would  accompany  him 
to  his  ship.  When  he  went  on  board,  he  assembled  the 
whole  of  his  crew  in  the  cabin,  and,  having  seated  him- 
self on  a long  cushion,  which  was  placed  on  a line  mat, 
requested  that  I would  take  my  place  beside  him.  The 
sailors  all  knelt  down  (seated  themselves  on  their  heels  ?) 
before  us,  and  he  delivered  a long  speech,  in  which  he 
stated  that  it  would  be  necessary  for  some  of  them  to 
accompany  us  to  Russia. 

“ Here  a very  affecting  scene  was  exhibited.  A num- 
ber of  the  seamen  approached  him,  with  their  heads  bent 
downwards,  and,  with  great  eagerness,  whispered  some- 
thing to  him.  Their  countenances  were  all  bathed  in 
tears ; even  Ivahei,  who  had  hitherto  evinced  calmness 
and  resolution,  seemed  now  to  be  deeply  distressed,  and 
began  to  weep.  I for  some  time  hesitated  to  carry  my 
resolution  into  effect,  and  was  only  induced  to  adhere  to 
it  by  the  consideration  that  I would  hereafter  have  the 
opportunity  of  interrogating  each  individual  separately, 
and  probably  thereby  ascertaining  whether  or  not  our 
comrades  were  really  alive  in  Matsumae.  I had,  how- 
ever, in  other  respects,  no  reason  to  repent  of  this 
determination,  for  the  Japanese  merchant,  who  was 
accustomed  to  live  in  a style  of  Asiatic  luxury,  would 
have  experienced  serious  inconvenience  on  board  our 
vessel  without  his  Japanese  attendants,  two  of  whom 
were  always,  by  turns,  near  his  person. 


THE  MERCHANT’S  LADY  FRIEND 


231 


“ Kahei,  and  the  sailors  he  selected,  soon  behaved  as 
though  our  ship  had  been  their  own,  and  we,  on  our 
side,  employed  every  means  to  convince  them  that  we 
considered  the  Japanese,  not  as  a hostile,  but  as  a 
friendly  nation,  with  whom  our  good  understanding  was 
only  accidentally  interrupted. 

“ The  same  day  we  received  on  board,  at  my  invita- 
tion, from  the  captured  vessel,  a Japanese  lady,  who  had 
been  the  inseparable  companion  of  Kahei  on  his  voyage 
from  Hakodate,  his  place  of  residence,  to  Etorofu.  She 
was  extremely  desirous  of  seeing  our  ship,  and  the 
strange  people  and  polite  enemies,  as  she  styled  us,  and 
to  witness  our  friendly  intercourse  with  her  countrymen. 
A Japanese  lady  was  also,  to  us,  no  slight  object  of 
curiosity.  When  she  came  on  board,  she  appeared  very 
timid  and  embarrassed.  I requested  Kahei  to  conduct 
her  into  my  cabin,  and,  as  she  advanced,  I took  her  by 
the  other  hand.  On  reaching  the  cabin-door,  she  wished 
to  take  off  her  straw  shoes ; but,  as  there  were  neither 
mats  nor  carpets  in  my  cabin,  I explained  to  her,  by 
signs,  that  this  singular  mark  of  politeness  might  be  dis- 
pensed with  among  us. 

“ On  entering  the  cabin,  she  placed  both  hands  on  her 
head,  with  the  palms  outwards,  and  saluted  us  by  bend- 
ing her  body  very  low.  I conducted  her  to  a chair,  and 
Kahei  requested  her  to  sit  down.  Fortunately  for  this 
unexpected  visitor,  there  was  on  board  our  vessel  a 
young  and  handsome  woman,  the  wife  of  our  surgeon’s 
mate.  The  Japanese  lady  seemed  highly  pleased  on 
being  introduced  to  her,  and  they  quickly  formed  an 
intimacy.  Our  countrywoman  endeavored  to  entertain 
the  foreigner  with  what  the  women  of  all  countries  de- 
light in  — she  showed  her  her  trinkets.  Our  visitor 


232 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


behaved  with  all  the  ease  of  a woman  of  fashion ; she 
examined  the  ornaments  with  great  curiosity,  and  ex- 
pressed her  admiration  by  an  agreeable  smile.  But  the 
fair  complexion  of  our  countrywoman  seemed  most  of 
all  to  attract  her  attention.  She  passed  her  hands  over 
the  Russian  woman’s  face,  as  though  she  suspected  it 
had  been  painted,  and,  with  a smile,  exclaimed,  ‘ Yoi ! 
yoi  ! ’ which  signifies  good.  I observed  that  our  visitor 
was  somewhat  vain  of  her  new  ornaments,  and  I held  a 
looking-glass  before  her  that  she  might  see  how  they 
became  her.  The  Russian  lady  placed  herself  immedi- 
ately behind  her,  in  order  to  show  her  the  difference  of 
their  complexions,  when  she  immediately  pushed  the 
glass  aside,  and  said,  ‘■Wand!  warm!’  — not  good.  She 
might  herself  have  been  called  handsome ; her  face  was 
of  the  oval  form,  her  features  regular,  and  her  little 
mouth,  when  open,  disclosed  a set  of  shining  black 
lackered  teeth.  Her  black  eyebrows,  which  had  the 
appearance  of  having  been  pencilled,  overarched  a pair 
of  sparkling  dark  eyes,  which  were  by  no  means  deeply 
seated.  Her  hair  was  black,  and  rolled  up  in  the  form 
of  a turban,  without  any  ornament,  except  a few  small 
tortoise-shell  combs.  She  was  about  the  middle  size, 
and  elegantly  formed.  Her  dress  consisted  of  six  wad- 
ded silk  garments,  similar  to  our  night-gowns,  each  fas- 
tened round  the  lower  part  of  the  waist  by  a separate 
band,  and  drawn  close  together  from  the  girdle  down- 
wards. They  were  all  of  different  colors,  the  outer  one 
black.  Her  articulation  was  slow,  and  her  voice  soft. 
Her  countenance  was  expressive  and  interesting,  and 
she  was,  altogether,  calculated  to  make  a very  agreeable 
impression.  She  could  not  be  older  than  eighteen.  We 
entertained  her  with  fine  green  tea  and  sweetmeats,  of 


THE  MERCHANT  IN  KAMTSCHATKA 


233 


which  she  ate  and  clrank  moderately.  On  her  taking 
leave,  I made  her  some  presents,  with  which  she  ap- 
peared to  be  much  pleased.  I hinted  to  our  country- 
woman that  she  should  embrace  her,  and  when  the 
Japanese  observed  what  was  intended,  she  ran  into  her 
arms,  and  kissed  her  with  a smile.” 

The  Japanese  merchant,  at  Rikord’s  request,  wrote  a 
letter  to  the  commander  at  Kunashiri,  detailing  the  state 
of  affairs.  No  answer  was  returned,  and  when  an  at- 
tempt was  made  to  land  for  water,  the  boats  were  tired 
upon,  as  was  the  “ Diana  ” herself,  whenever  she  ap- 
proached the  shore ; but  the  aim  was  so  had  as  to  excite 
the  derision  of  the  Russians. 

During  the  winter  passed  in  Ivamtschatka,  the  Japa- 
nese merchant  continued  to  gain  in  the  good  opinion  of 
his  captors,  whose  language  he  so  far  mastered  as  to  be 
able  to  converse  in  it  even  on  abstract  subjects.  He 
seemed  to  interest  himself  much  in  arranging  the  mis- 
understanding between  the  Russian  and  Japanese  gov- 
ernments, and  expressed  his  wish,  which  he  said  was 
shared  by  others  of  his  class,  to  see  a commercial  inter- 
course opened  between  the  two  nations ; and  it  was  at 
his  suggestion  that  Rikord  sent  to  the  governor  of 
Irkutsk  for  a disavowal  of  the  hostile  acts  of  Chwostoff. 

Kahei  remained  in  good  health  and  spirits  till  the 
middle  of  winter,  when  the  death  of  two  of  his  Japanese 
attendants  greatly  affected  him.  lie  became  melancholy 
and  peevish,  asserted  that  he  had  the  scurvy,  and  told 
the  surgeon  he  should  certainly  die ; but  his  real  disor- 
der was  home-sickness,  aggravated  by  apprehensions  of 
being  detained  at  Okhotsk,  whither  Rikord  had  intended 
to  sail  before  proceeding  to  Japan,  in  order  to  get  the 
disavowal  above  referred  to.  As  Kahei’s  assistance 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


‘234 

seemed  essential,  Rikord,  fearing  lest  he  might  die,  re- 
solved to  sail  direct  for  Japan  as  soon  as  the  vessel 
could  be  cut  from  the  ice,  — a resolution  by  which 
Kahei’s  spirits  were  greatly  raised. 

They  arrived  in  Kunashiri  bay  in  June,  1813.  The 
buildings  were,  as  formerly,  concealed  by  striped  cotton 
cloth,  but  no  guns  were  fired,  and  not  a living  being  was 
to  be  seen.  When  the  two  Japanese  sailors  were  about 
to  be  sent  on  shore,  Rikord,  somewhat  excited  at  their 
master’s  declining  to  pledge  himself  for  their  return, 
bade  them  say  to  the  governor,  that  if  he  prevented 
them  from  returning,  or  sent  back  no  information,  their 
master  should  be  carried  to  Okhotsk,  whence  some  ships 
of  war  should  immediately  come  to  demand  the  liberation 
of  the  Russians. 

“ At  these  words,”  says  Rikord,  “ Kahei  changed  coun- 
tenance, but  said,  with  much  calmness,  ‘ Commander  of 
the  imperial  ship’  — he  always  addressed  me  thus  on 
important  occasions  — ‘ thou  counsellest  rashly.  Thy 
orders  to  the  governor  of  Kunashiri  seem  to  contain 
much,  but  according  to  our  laws  they  contain  little.  In 
vain  dost  thou  threaten  to  cany  me  to  Okhotsk  ; my 
men  may  be  detained  on  shore,  but  neither  two,  nor  yet 
two  thousand  sailors  can  answer  for  me.  Therefore  I 
give  thee  previous  notice  that  it  will  not  be  in  thy 
power  to  take  me  to  Okhotsk.  But  tell  me  whether 
it  be  under  these  conditions  only  that  my  sailors  are 
to  be  sent  on  shore  ? ’ ‘ Yes,’  said  I ; ‘ as  commander  of 

a ship  of  war,  I cannot  under  these  circumstances  act 
otherwise.’ 

“ ‘Well,’  replied  he,  ‘allow  me  to  give  my  sailors  my 
last  and  most  urgent  instructions,  as  to  what  they  must 
communicate  from  me  to  the  governor  of  Kunashiri.’ 


Scenes  in  the  Home:  The  Doctor’s  Call;  Hair-Dressing;  A Blind 

Masse  cr 


KAHEI’S  ADDRESS 


235 


He  then  rose  up  — for  during  this  conversation  he  sat, 
according  to  the  Japanese  custom,  with  his  legs  under 
him  — and  addressed  me  very  earnestly  in  the  following 
terms:  ‘You  know  enough  of  Japanese  to  understand 
all  that  I may  say  in  plain  and  easy  words  to  my  sailors. 
I would  not  wish  you  to  have  any  ground  to  suspect  me 
of  hatching  base  designs.’  He  then  sat  down  again, 
when  his  sailors  approached  him  on  their  knees,  and 
hanging  down  their  heads,  listened  with  deep  attention 
to  his  words.  He  reminded  them  circumstantially  of  the 
day  on  which  they  were  carried  on  board  the  ‘ Diana,’ 
of  the  manner  in  which  they  had  been  treated  on  board 
that  ship  and  in  Kamtschatka,  of  their  having  inhabited 
the  same  house  with  me,  and  being  carefully  provided 
for,  of  the  death  of  their  two  countrymen,  notwithstand- 
ing all  the  attention  bestowed  upon  them  by  the  Rus- 
sian physician,  and,  finally,  that  the  ship  had  hastily 
returned  to  Japan  on  account  of  his  own  health.  All 
this  he  directed  them  faithfully  to  rekite,  and  concluded 
with  the  warmest  commendations  of  me,  and  earnest 
expressions  of  gratitude  for  the  care  that  I had  taken  of 
him  by  sea  and  on  land.  He  then  sank  into  a deep 
silence  and  prayed,  after  which  he  delivered  to  the 
sailor  whom  he  most  esteemed,  his  picture  to  be  con- 
veyed to  his  wife,  and  his  large  sabre,  which  he  called 
his  paternal  sword,  to  be  presented  to  his  only  son  and 
heir.  This  solemn  ceremony  being  finished,  he  stood  up, 
and  with  a frank  and  indeed  very  cheerful  expression  of 
countenance,  asked  for  some  brandy  to  treat  his  sailors 
at  parting.  He  drank  with  them,  and  accompanied  them 
on  deck,  when  they  were  landed,  and  proceeded  without 
interruption  towards  the  fortress.” 

Rikord  was  a good  deal  troubled  and  alarmed  at  the 


236 


JAPAN  AS  IT  V/AS  AND  IS 


air  and  manner  of  Kahei ; and  finally,  after  consulting 
with  his  officers  concluded  to  dismiss  him  uncondition- 
ally, trusting  to  his  honor  for  his  doing  his  best  to 
procure  the  release  of  the  Russians. 

Kahei  was  greatly  delighted  at  this  mark  of  confi- 
dence, though  he  declined  to  go  on  shore  till  the  next 
day,  as  it  would  not  conform  to  Japanese  ideas  of 
etiquette  for  him  to  land  on  the  same  day  with  liis 
sailors.  He  confessed  to  Rikord  that  he  had  been 
greatly  wounded  by  the  threat  to  carry  him  to  Okhotsk. 
It  was  not  consistent  with  Japanese  ideas,  that  a man  of 
his  position  should  remain  a prisoner  in  a foreign  coun- 
try, and  he  had  therefore  made  up  his  mind  to  prevent 
it  by  cutting  himself  open.  He  had  accordingly  cut  off 
the  tuft  of  hair  from  his  head,  — and  he  showed  that  it 
was  gone,  — and  had  laid  it  in  the  box  with  his  picture ; 
it  being  customary  with  those  about  to  die  honorably,  by 
their  own  hands,  in  a distant  place,  to  send  this  token 
to  their  friends,  who  bury  the  tuft  of  hair  with  all  the 
ceremonies  which  they  would  have  bestowred  upon  the 
body.  And  he  even  intimated  that  previous  to  doing 
this  execution  on  himself,  he  might  first  have  stabbed 
Rikord  and  the  next  in  command. 

Kahei  exerted  himself  with  the  greatest  energy  in  the 
matter  of  the  negotiation,  and  he  soon  v7as  able  to  pro- 
duce a letter,  in  the  hand-writing  of  Golownin,  and 
signed  by  him  and  Moor,  but  which  the  jealousy  of  their 
keepers  had  limited  to  the  simple  announcement  that 
they  were  alive  and  well  at  Matsumae.  Afterwards  one 
of  the  imprisoned  Russian  sailors  was  brought  on  board 
the  ship,  being  sent  from  Matsumae  for  that  purpose ; 
but,  though  allowed  to  spend  his  days  on  board  the 
“ Diana,”  he  was  required  to  return  to  the  fort  every  night. 


THE  “DIANA”  AT  HAKODATE 


237 


In  spite,  however,  of  all  the  watchfulness  of  the  Japa- 
nese, he  had  brought  sewed  up  in  his  jacket  a letter  from 
Golownin,  in  which  he  recommended  prudence,  civility, 
candor,  and  especially  patience,  and  entreated  that  no 
letters  nor  anything  else  should  be  sent  him  which 
might  cause  him  to  be  tormented  with  questions  and 
translations. 

The  Japanese  would  not  deliver  up  their  prisoners  till 
the  “ Diana  ” first  sailed  to  Okhotsk,  and  brought  from 
the  authorities  there  a formal  written  disavowal  of  the 
hostilities  of  Chwostoff.  At  Okhotsk  was  found  the  let- 
ter from  the  governor  of  Irkutsk,  previously  sent  for  at 
Ivahei’s  suggestion,  and  with  this  document  and  another 
letter  from  the  commander  at  Okhotsk,  the  “ Diana  ” 
reached  Hakodate  towards  the  end  of  October. 

“ As  we  approached  the  town,”  says  Rikord,  “ we 
observed  that  cloth  was  hung  out  only  at  a few  places 
on  the  hill,  or  near  it,  and  not  over  the  whole  buildings, 
as  at  Ivunashiri.  With  the  assistance  of  onr  telescopes, 
we  observed  six  of  these  screens  of  cloth,  probably 
intended  to  conceal  fortifications.  There  were,  beside, 
five  new  fortifications  at  short  distances  from  each  other, 
and  from  two  to  three  hundred  fathoms  from  the  shore. 

“ We  no  sooner  entered  the  roads  than  we  were  sur- 
rounded by  a number  of  boats,  of  all  descriptions  and 
sizes,  filled  with  the  curious  of  both  sexes.  A European 
ship  must  indeed  have  been  to  them  an  object  of  un- 
common interest ; for,  as  far  as  I could  ascertain,  they 
had  seen  none  since  they  were  visited  twenty-two  years 
before  by  Laxman.1  Many  of  the  inhabitants,  therefore, 

1 There  lias  been  a great  alteration  in  the  last  twenty  years.  Sie- 
bold  states  that  sixty-eight  square-rigged  vessels — mostly,  no  doubt, 
American  whalers  — had  been  counted  by  the  Japanese  as  passing 


238 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


had.  never  beheld ' a European  vessel  of  any  kind,  and 
still  less  a ship  of  war ; they  accordingly  thronged  about 
us  in  vast  numbers,  and  their  curiosity  frequently  gave 
rise  to  disputes  among  themselves.  The  Doshin  (soldiers), 
who  were  stationed  in  the  watch-boats,  continually  called 
to  them  to  keep  at  a further  distance ; but  so  great  was 
the  confusion  that,  though  the  people  generally  showed 
great  respect  to  the  soldiers,  their  orders  were  on  this 
occasion  disregarded.  The  military,  therefore,  were 
under  the  necessity  of  using  the  iron  batons  which  they 
wear  fastened  to  their  girdles  by  long  silken  strings. 
They  spared  neither  rank  nor  sex ; old  persons  alone 
experienced  their  indulgence,  and  we  had  various  oppor- 
tunities of  observing  that  the  Japanese,  in  all  situations, 
pay  particular  respect  to  old  age.  In  this  case  blows 
were  freely  dealt  out  to  the  young,  of  every  description, 
who  ventured  to  disobey  the  commands  of  the  soldiers, 
and  we  were  at  length  delivered  from  a multitude  of 
visitors,  who  would  have  subjected  us  to  no  small  degree 
of  inconvenience.” 

Kahei  came  on  board  the  next  morning,  and  the  letter 
from  the  governor  of  Okhotsk  was  given  to  him  to  be 
transmitted  to  the  governor  of  Matsumae ; but  Captain 
Rikord  refused  to  deliver  the  other  letter,  except  in 
person.  After  much  negotiation  the  ceremonial  for  an 
interview  was  arranged.  The  Japanese  even  conceded 
that  the  ten  men  who  landed  with  Rikord  as  his  guard 
of  honor  should  be  allowed  to  take  their  muskets  with 
them  ; he,  on  his  part,  agreeing  to  land  in  the  J apanese 

Matsumae  and  Hakodate  in  one  year.  According  to  a memorandum 
furnished  to  Commodore  Perry  during  his  recent  visit  to  Hakodate 
(May  3,  1854),  there  had  been,  in  the  years  1847-1851,  no  less  than 
five  foreign  vessels  wrecked  in  that  vicinity. 


GOLOWNTN'S  RELEASE 


239 


governor’s  barge,  and,  before  entering  the  audience 
chamber,  to  substitute,  instead  of  his  boots,  shoes,  which 
Ivahei  undertook  to  pass  off  as  leather  stockings.  Rikord 
had  for  his  interpreter  a Japanese  whom  he  had  brought 
from  Okhotsk,  sent  thither  from  Irkutsk,  and  who  bore 
the  Russian  name  of  Ivesseleff.  The  Japanese  had 
Teisuke,  who  had  learnt  Russian  of  Golownin.  The 
governor  of  Matsumae,  Hattori-Bingo-no-kami,  was  rep- 
resented on  this  occasion  by  the  governor  of  Hakodate, 
and  by  an  academician  sent  for  the  express  purpose  of 
making  observations  on  the  Russian  ship  of  war,  and 
collecting  particulars  respecting  European  science,  — no 
other,  indeed,  than  Doeff’s  friend,  “ Globius.” 

The  letter  of  the  governor  of  Irkutsk  was  delivered, 
with  great  formality,  in  a box  covered  with  purple  cloth. 
Rikord  took  it  out,  read  the  address  aloud,  and  returned 
it.  Ivesseleff,  Rikord’s  interpreter,  then  handed  the  box 
to  Teisuke,  who  raised  it  above  his  head,  and  placed  it 
in  the  hands  of  the  junior  commissioner,  who  delivered 
it  to  the  senior  commissioner,  who  promised  to  deliver  it 
to  the  bugio,  or  governor.  An  entertainment  followed 
of  tea  and  sweetmeats,  during  which  a Japanese  was 
placed  beside  Rikord  to  receive  and  hand  to  him  his 
share  of  the  eatables. 

From  the  moment  of  the  departure  of  the  “ Diana  ” 
for  Okhotsk,  Golownin  and  his  companions  had  begun 
to  be  treated  rather  as  guests  than  prisoners.  They  were 
soon  conveyed  back  to  Hakodate,  and  at  length,  after  a 
confinement  of  more  than  two  years,  were  delivered  up 
to  Rikord,  with  a paper  of  which  the  following  are  the 
material  parts: 


240 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


NOTIFICATION  FROM  THE  GIMMIYAKU,  THE  CHIEF  COMMANDERS 
NEXT  TO  THE  BUGIO,  OF  MATSUMAE. 

“Twenty-two  j’ears  ago  a Russian  vessel  arrived  at  Mat- 
sumae,  and  eleven  years  ago  another  came  to  Nagasaki. 
Though  the  laws  of  our  country  were  on  both  those  occasions 
minutely  explained,  yet  we  are  of  opinion  that  we  have  not 
been  clearly  understood  on  your  part,  owing  to  the  great 
dissimilarity  between  our  languages  and  writing.  However, 
as  we  have  now  detained  you,  it  will  be  easy  to  give  you  an 
explanation  of  these  matters.  When  3'ou  return  to  Russia, 
communicate  to  the  commanders  of  the  coasts  of  Kamt- 
schatka,  Okhotsk,  and  others,  the  declaration  of  our  bugio, 
which  will  acquaint  them  with  the  nature  of  the  Japanese 
laws  with  respect  to  the  arrival  of  foreign  ships,  aud  prevent 
a repetition  of  similar  transgressions  on  your  part. 

“ In  our  country  the  Christian  religion  is  strictly  pro- 
hibited, and  European  vessels  are  not  suffered  to  enter  any 
Japanese  harbor  except  Nagasaki.  This  law  does  not  extend 
to  Russian  vessels  only.  This  year  it  has  not  been  enforced, 
because  we  wished  to  communicate  with  your  countrymen ; 
but  all  that  may  henceforth  present  themselves  will  be  driven 
back  by  cannon-balls.  Bear  in  mind  this  declaration,  and 
you  cannot  complain  if  at  any  future  period  3-011  should  expe- 
rience a misfortune  in  consequence  of  your  disregard  of  it. 

“Among  us  there  exists  this  law:  ‘If  any  European 
residing  in  Japan  shall  attempt  to  teach  our  people  the 
Christian  faith,  he  shall  undergo  a severe  punishment,  and 
shall  not  be  restored  to  his  native  country.’  As  3’ou,  how- 
ever, have  not  attempted  to  do  so,  3tou  will  accordingly  be 
permitted  to  return  home.  Think  well  on  this. 

“Our  couutiymen  wish  to  carry  on  no  commerce  with 
foreign  lands,  for  we  know  no  want  of  necessary  tilings. 
Though  foreigners  are  permitted  to  trade  to  Nagasaki,  even 
to  that  harbor  onl3T  those  are  admitted  with  whom  we  have  for 


A PREDICTION  FULFILLED 


241 


a long  period  maintained  relations,  and  we  do  not  trade  with 
them  for  the  sake  of  gain,  but  for  other  important  objects. 
From  the  repeated  solicitations  which  you  have  hitherto  made 
to  us,  you  evidently  imagine  that  the  customs  of  our  country 
resemble  those  of  your  own ; but  you  are  very  wrong  in 
thinking  so.  In  future,  it  will  be  better  to  say  no  more 
about  a commercial  connection.” 

In  all  this  business  the  efforts  of  Kahei  had  been 
indefatigable.  At  first  he  was  treated  by  his  own  coun- 
trymen with  the  suspicion  and  reserve  extended  to  all, 
even  native  Japanese,  who  come  from  a foreign  country. 
For  a long  time  he  was  not  permitted  to  visit  Golownin. 
A guard  was  set  over  him,  and  even  his  friends  and 
relations  could  not  see  him  except  in  presence  of  an 
imperial  soldier.  In  fact,  according  to  the  Japanese 
laws,  as  a person  just  returned  from  a foreign  country, 
he  ought  to  have  been  allowed  no  correspondence  at  all 
with  his  friends.  The  governor  of  Hakodate,  having  a 
letter  for  him  from  his  only  son,  said  not  a word  to  him 
about  it,  but  having  sent  for  him  to  convey  a letter  from 
Golownin  on  boaixl  the  “Diana,”  while  walking  up  and 
down  the  room,  threw  his  son’s  letter  towards  him,  as  if 
it  had  been  a piece  of  waste  paper  taken  out  of  his  sleeve 
accidentally  with  the  other  letter,  and  then  turned  his 
back  to  give  him  time  to  pick  it  up.1 

Ivaliei’s  abduction  had  thrown  his  family  into  great 
distress.  A celebrated  priest,  or  spirit-medium,  at  Hako- 
date, to  the  question  whether  he  ever  would  return,  had 
answered,  “ Kahei  will  return  the  ensuing  summer,  with 

1 In  Japan,  as  elsewhere,  etiquette  requires  a good  many  things  to 
be  done  under  feigned  pretences,  and  on  many  occasions  an  affected 
ignorance  of  what  everybody  knows.  The  Japanese  have  a particular 
term  ( naibun ) to  express  this  way  of  doing  things. 

VOL.  II.  — 16 


242 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


two  of  his  companions  ; the  remaining  two  have  perished 
in  a foreign  land.”  This  answer  was  communicated  to 
Golownin,  who  laughed  at  it ; but  when,  on  Kahei's 
return,  it  appeared  that  two  of  his  Japanese  attendants 
had  actually  died,  the  Japanese  believers  were  greatly 
edified,  and  highly  indignant  at  Golownin’s  persistence 
in  maintaining  that  there  was  more  of  luck  than  fore- 
sight in  the  prophecy.  Kahei’s  wife  — another  probably 
than  the  young  female  with  whom  we  are  already  ac- 
quainted— in  her  grief  made  a vow  to  go  on  a pilgrim- 
age through  the  whole  of  Japan;  and  Kahei  assured 
Captain  Rikord  that  scarcely  had  she  returned  from  her 
pilgrimage,  when  she  received  his  letter  from  Ivunashiri, 
announcing  his  return. 

Kahei  had  a bosom  friend,  who,  on  learning  his  fate, 
divided  his  large  property  among  the  poor,  and  took  up 
his  residence  in  the  mountains  as  a hermit.  As  appeared 
on  various  occasions,  Kahei  was  a strict  disciplinarian, 
and  very  punctilious.  He  had  a daughter,  whom,  owing 
to  some  misconduct,  he  had  discarded.  She  was  dead  to 
him,  so  he  said  ; and  to  Rikord,  to  whom  he  had  told  the 
story,  and  who  had  taken  an  interest  in  the  girl,  he  had 
insisted  that  a reconciliation  would  be  inconsistent  with 
his  honor.  Yet,  to  show  his  hermit  friend  that  in  the 
way  of  self-sacrifice  he  was  not  to  be  outdone,  he  made 
up  his  mind  to  the  great  effort  of  calling  his  daughter 
into  life,  and  forgiving  her.  His  friend  would,  he  said, 
when  this  communication  was  made  to  him,  at  once 
understand  it. 

During  Kahei’s  absence  his  mercantile  affaire  had 
prospered,  and  before  Rikord’s  departure  he  brought 
on  board  the  “ Diana,”  with  all  the  evidence  of  paternal 
pride,  his  son,  who  seemed,  indeed,  to  be  a promising 


Common  School 


SOCIAL  POSITION  OF  MERCHANTS 


243 


youth.  He  was  very  liberal  in  his  distribution  of  silk 
and  cotton  wadded  dresses  to  the  crew,  to  all  of  whom 
he  gave  one  or  more,  to  his  favorites  the  best  ones,  tak- 
ing especial  care  to  remember  the  cook.  I Ie  then  begged 
to  be  allowed  to  treat  them.  “ Sailors,  captain,”  so  he 
said  to  Rikord,  “are  all  alike,  whether  Russian  or  Japa- 
nese. They  are  all  fond  of  a glass;  and  there  is  no 
danger  in  the  harbor  of  Hakodate.”  So  the  sailors  had 
a night  of  it,  being  plentifully  supplied  with  sake  and 
Japanese  tobacco. 

Though  he  refused  all  presents  of  value,  as  being 
indeed  prohibited  by  Japanese  law,  Ivahei  accepted  with 
pleasure  a Russian  tea-set,  as  it  would  enable  him,  in 
entertaining  his  friends,  to  call  to  mind  his  Russian 
hosts ; and  he  expressed  much  regret  that  the  custom 
of  his  country  did  not  allow  him  to  invite  Rikord  to 
his  own  house.  Finally,  he  brought  a number  of  boats 
to  help  tow  the  “Diana”  out  of  the  harbor. 

This  is  the  only  full-length  portrait  we  possess  of  a 
Japanese  merchant;  and,  if  it  represents  the  class,  the 
fraternity  have  reason  to  be  proud  of  their  Japanese 
brethren.  “ The  class  of  merchants  in  Japan,”  says 
Golownin,  “is  very  extensive  and  rich,  hut  not  held  in 
honor.  The  merchants  have  not  the  right  to  bear  arms;1 

1 Yet  Ivahei  wore  two  swords,  though  perhaps  he  did  it  in  the  char- 
acter of  a ship-master,  or  as  an  officer  in  authority  in  the  island  to 
which  he  traded  from  Hakodate,  carrying  on  the  fishery  there  chiefly 
by  means  of  native  Kuriles.  These  islands  appear  to  have  been  farmed 
out  by  the  government  to  certain  mercantile  firms,  which  thus  acquire 
a certain  civil  authority  over  the  inhabitants.  The  privilege  of  wear- 
ing swords,  like  other  similar  privileges  elsewhere,  is  probably  rather 
encroached  upon  by  the  unprivileged.  On  festival  days,  even  the 
poorest  inhabitants  of  Nagasaki  decked  themselves  out,  according  to 
Kampfer,  with  at  least  one  sword.  The  present  of  a sword  as  a mar- 
riage gift  — and  it  is  ceremonies  practised  among  the  mercantile  class, 
to  which  reference  is  made  — is  mentioned  on  p.  181. 


244 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


but  though  their  profession  is  not  respected,  their  wealth 
is ; for  this,  as  in  Europe,  supplies  the  place  of  talents 
and  dignity,  and  attains  privileges  and  honorable  places. 
The  Japanese  told  us  that  their  officers  of  state  and  men 
of  rank  behave  themselves  outwardly  with  great  haughti- 
ness to  the  merchants,  but  in  private  are  very  familiar 
with  the  rich  ones,  and  are  often  under  great  obligations 
to  them.  We  had  with  us  for  some  time  a young  officer, 
who  was  the  son  of  a rich  merchant,  and  who,  as  the 
Japanese  said,  owed  his  rank  not  to  his  own  merit,  but 
to  his  father’s  gold.  Thus,  though  the  laws  do  not  favor 
the  mercantile  profession,  yet  wealth  raises  it ; for  even 
in  Japan,  where  the  laws  are  so  rigorously  enforced,  they 
are  often  weighed  down  by  the  influence  of  gold.” 


CHAPTER  XLIV 


Renewal  of  the  Dutch  Trade — Captain  Gordon  in  the  Bay  of  Yedo  — 
Fisscher  — Meylan  — Siebold  — British  Mutineers  — Voyage  of  the 
Morrison  — Japanese  Edict  — The  “ Saramang  ’’  at  Nagasaki  — The 
“Mercator”  in  the  Bay  of  Yedo — Commodore  Biddle  in  the  Bay  of 
Yedo  — Shipwrecked  Americans  — French  Ships  of  War  at  Nagasaki 
— The  “ Preble  ” at  Nagasaki  — Surveying  ship  " Mariner  ” in  the 
Bays  of  Yedo  and  Shimoda  — New  Notification  through  the  Dutch  — 
A.  D.  1817-1850. 

GREAT  was  the  delight  of  Heer  Doeff,  when,  in  the 
year  1817,  two  vessels  arrived  at  last  from  Bata- 
via, bringing  news  of  its  restoration  to  the  Dutch ; 
also  — what  was  hardly  less  welcome  — a supply  of 
butter,  wine,  and  other  European  creature  comforts; 
together  with  goods  for  renewing  the  trade,  and  a deco- 
ration of  the  order  of  the  Lion  for  Doeff,  whose  conduct 
in  holding  out  against  the  English  had  been  highly 
approved  in  Holland. 

On  board  these  ships  were  several  women,  among 
others  the  wife  of  Herr  Blomhoff,  appointed  to  succeed 
Doeff  as  director,  who  had  with  her  an  infant  child. 
This  novelty  greatly  disturbed  the  Japanese.  It  was 
with  the  utmost  difficulty  that  permission  was  obtained 
for  the  wife  of  the  new  director  to  land ; her  remaining 
was  a thing  not  to  be  listened  to,  and  she  was  obliged  to 
leave  her  husband  and  to  return  to  Batavia  in  the 
departing  ships.1 

1 The  old  East  India  Company  having  become  extinct,  the  Dutch 
trade  to  Japan  had  been  revived  as  a government  affair.  A new  Dutch 


246 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


Shortly  after  this  renewal  of  the  old  Dutch  inter- 
course, a new  English  attempt  was  made  at  commerce 
with  Japan.  Captain  Gordon  of  the  British  navy,  en- 
tered, in  June,  1818,  the  bay  of  Yedo,  in  a little  trading 
brig,  from  Okhotsk,  of  sixty-five  tons’  burden.  He  was 
immediately  visited  by  two  officers,  to  whom  he  said  that 
he  had  come  merely  to  obtain  permission  to  return  with 
a cargo  of  goods  for  sale.  They  insisted  upon  unship- 
ping his  rudder,  and  required  all  his  arms  to  be  given  up. 
The  vessel  was  then  surrounded  by  a circle  of  some 
twenty  boats,  and  beyond  by  a circle  of  sixty  larger  ones, 
besides  two  or  three  junks,  mounting  a number  of  guns. 
Two  interpreters  came  on  board,  one  speaking  Dutch, 
the  other  some  Russian,  and  both  a little  English.  They 
inquired  if  the  vessel  belonged  to  the  East  India  Com- 
pany, if  the  English  were  friends  of  the  Dutch,  and  if 
Captain  Golownin  was  at  Okhotsk.  They  asked  after 
the  king  of  Holland,  the  king  of  France,  and  Bonaparte. 
They  knew  the  names  and  uses  of  the  various  nautical 
instruments,  and  said  that  the  best  were  made  at  London. 
In  a subsequent  visit  they  told  Captain  Gordon  that 
permission  could  not  be  granted  for  his  trading  to  Japan, 
as  by  their  laws  all  foreign  intercourse  was  interdicted, 
except  at  Nagasaki,  and  there  only  allowed  with  the 
Dutch  and  Chinese,  and  he  was  requested  to  depart  the 
moment  the  wind  was  fair.  The  interpreters  declined 
any  presents,  being  prohibited,  they  said,  from  accepting 
any.  Captain  Gordon  was  much  struck  with  the  polite 
and  affable  conduct  of  the  Japanese,  both  towards  him 
and  towards  each  other.  Everything  that  had  been 

East  India  Company  having  been  formed,  it  was  handed  over  to  that 
company  in  1827,  but,  after  a two  years’  trial,  was  restored  again  to  the 
government,  in  whose  hands  it  still  remains. 


FISSCHER  AT  NAGASAKI 


247 


taken  on  shore  was  carefully  returned,  and  thirty  boats 
were  sent  to  tow  the  vessel  out  of  the  bay.  The  shores 
were  lined  with  spectators,  and  as  soon  as  the  guard- 
boats  had  left,  not  less  than  two  thousand  visitors  came 
on  board  in  succession,  all  eager  to  barter  for  trifles.1 

In  1820,  J.  F.  Van  Overmeer  Fisscher  arrived  at 
Nagasaki,  as  a member  of  the  factory.  He  resided  there 
for  seven  years,  and  after  his  return  to  Holland  pub- 
lished, in  1838,  a work  in  the  Dutch  language,  entitled 
“ Contributions  towards  a Knowledge  of  the  Japanese 
Empire,”  embellished  with  engravings  from  Japanese 
drawings,  so  superior  to  former  specimens  as  to  give 
occasion  for  some  suspicion  of  aid  from  the  European 
engraver. 

In  1822,  Fisscher  accompanied  Blomhoff  in  the  quad- 
rennial embassy  to  Yedo,  which,  from  its  long  intermission, 
appears  to  have  excited  unusual  attention.  It  had  been 
proposed  to  make  the  embassy  annual,  as  formerly ; but  to 
this  change  the  Japanese  authorities  would  not  assent. 
Fisscher’s  account  of  the  journey  does  not  differ  mate- 
rially from  that  given  by  Kampfer  and  Thunberg.  The 
entrance  into  Yedo,  notwithstanding  the  absence  of  car- 
riages, reminded  him,  from  the  noise  and  the  throng  of 
people,  of  the  commercial  parts  of  London.  The  shops 
had  signs,  as  in  Europe ; the  goods  were  exhibited  from 
the  doors  and  windows  under  the  charge  of  boys,  who 
rivalled  each  other  in  calling  by  loud  cries  the  attention 
of  purchasers.  Long  before  entering  Shinagawa,  they 
found  themselves  in  the  midst  of  a vast  crowd,  marching 
along  broad  streets,  paved  at  the  sides,  formed  of  houses, 

1 See  London  “ Quarterly  Review,”  for  July,  1819,  in  a note  to  an 
article  on  Golownin’s  narrative.  The  statement  about  bartering  is 
questionable. 


248  ' 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


regularly  built,  among  which  were  many  large  buildings. 
From  the  suburb  to  their  hotel,  called  Nagasakiya, 
and  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  palace,  it  was  two 
hours’  march ; and,  as  the  palace  was  said  to  occupy  a 
space  half  a Japanese  mile  in  diameter,  Fisscher  estimates 
the  diameter  of  the  whole  city  at  not  less  than  five  or  six 
hours’  walk  at  an  ordinary  step. 

After  the  audience  and  the  official  visits  were  over,  the 
Dutch  spent  twelve  days  in  receiving  visits.  Among 
the  crowds  who  obtained  the  privilege  of  seeing  them, 
were  several  princes  or  their  secretaries,  and  many  savans, 
Doeff’s  Globius  among  the  rest.  Several  of  these  visitors 
had  more  or  less  knowledge  of  the  Dutch  language,  and 
great  eagerness  was  exhibited  to  obtain  new  scientific 
information.  To  a party  given  to  the  Dutch  by  the 
master  of  tire  mint  and  the  conductor  of  the  embassy, 
many  of  the  Japanese  guests  came  rigged  out  in  Dutch 
clothes;  and  as  these  had  been  collected  through  long 
intervals  and  preserved  as  curiosities,  they  presented  a 
very  grotesque  and  antique  appearance.1  Fisscher’s  own 
party  were  laid  under  contribution  in  the  same  way,  their 
lady  visitors  unpacking  and  rummaging  their  trunks,  and 
putting  them  to  the  necessity  of  giving  away  some  of  the 
most  valuable  articles.  The  greater  part,  however,  were 
content  with  a few  words  written  on  their  fans. 

Mr.  G.  F.  Meylan,  who  first  arrived  in  Japan  shortly 
after  Fisscher  left  it,  and  who  subsequently  died  there, 
as  director,  has  also  contributed  something  to  our  knowl- 
edge of  Japan,  by  a thin  volume  published  in  1830, 
like  Fisscher’s,  in  the  Dutch  language,  with  the  title  of 

1 Siebold  represents  the  Dutch  at  Deshima  as  humoring  the  Japa- 
nese antipathy  to  change,  by  adhering  in  their  dress  to  the  old  fashion, 
and  as  rigged  out  in  velvet  coats  and  plumed  hats,  in  the  style  of  Van- 
dyke’s pictures. 


JAPANESE  WOMEN 


249 


“Japan;  presented  in  Sketches  of  the  Manners  and 
Customs  of  that  Realm,  especially  of  the  Town  of 
Nagasaki.”  One  of  the  most  original  things  in  Mey- 
lan’s  book  is  his  apology  for  the  custom  of  the  Dutch  in 
taking  female  companions  from  the  Nagasaki  tea-houses. 
None  of  the  male  Japanese  servants  are  allowed  to  re- 
main in  Deshima  over  night.  “ How,  then,”  plaintively 
asks  Mr.  Meylan,  “could  the  Dutch  residents  otherwise 
manage  to  procure  any  domestic  comfort  in  the  long 
nights  of  winter,  — their  tea-water,  for  instance, — were 
it  not  for  these  females?”  He  passes  a high  eulogy 
upon  their  strict  fidelity  and  affectionate  activity ; and 
indeed  the  connection  appears  to  be  regarded  by  them 
not  so  much  in  the  hght  in  which  we  see  it,  as  in  that 
of  a temporary  marriage.  The  female  inmates  of  the 
Japanese  tea-houses  hold,  indeed,  in  the  estimation  of 
their  own  people,  a very  different  position  from  that 
which  our  manners  would  assign  to  them ; since  not 
only  is  the  custom  of  frequenting  these  houses,  as 
places  of  relaxation  and  amusement,  general  among  the 
men,  but  sometimes,  according  to  Fissclier,  they  even 
take  their  wives  along  with  them. 

Of  the  personal  charms  of  these  wives,  with  their 
teeth  blackened,  their  eyebrows  shaven,  their  faces 
white,  Fisscher  does  not  give  a very  high  idea.  The 
concubines  do  not  shave  their  eyebrows,  but  the  custom 
of  blackening  the  teeth  is  so  common  as  to  be  adopted 
by  all  females  above  the  age  of  eighteen.  The  immod- 
erate use  of  the  warm  bath  causes  them  to  look,  at 
twenty-five,  at  least  ten  years  older.  Not  content  with 
the  natural  burdens  of  child-bearing,  they  augment  them 
by  several  absurd  customs,  one  of  which  is  the  wearing, 
during  pregnancy,  of  a tight  girdle  round  the  body. 


250 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


The  works  of  Fisscher  and  Meylan  are  chiefly  valu- 
able for  the  confirmation  they  give  of  Kampfer’s  ac- 
counts, and  as  showing  the  Japanese  very  little  altered 
from  what  they  were  when  he  described  them.  A visit- 
ant to  Japan,  and  a writer  of  much  higher  pretensions, 
is  Dr.  Philipp  Franz  von  Siebold,  who  was  sent  out,  in 
1823,  commissioned  by  the  Dutch  government,  to  make 
all  possible  investigations,  as  well  into  the  language, 
literature,  and  institutions,  as  into  the  natural  history 
of  the  country.  The  Japanese  interpreters  understood 
Dutch  so  well  as  to  detect  his  foreign  accent,  but  they 
were  satisfied  with  the  explanation  that  he  was  a Dutch 
mountaineer.  He  availed  himself,  as  Kampfer  had  done, 
of  all  means  that  offered  to  elude  the  restrictive  laws ; 
and  he  found,  like  Thunberg  and  Titsingli,  a certain 
number  of  the  natives  very  anxious  to  obtain  informa- 
tion, and  by  no  means  unwilling  secretly  to  impart  it. 

In  1826,  he  accompanied  Van  Sturlen,  the  director,  on 
the  quadrennial  journey  to  Yedo,  taking  with  him  a 
young  native  physician,  a native  artist,  and  several 
servants  to  assist  his  researches  into  natural  history. 
Following,  as  Fisscher  had  done,  nearly  or  quite  in 
Kampfer’s  old  route,  he  saw,  in  the  passage  across 
Kiushiu,  the  same  old  camphor-tree,  as  flourishing,  ap- 
parently, as  it  had  been  a hundred  and  thirty-five  years 
before,  but  with  a hollow  in  its  trunk  large  enough  to 
hold  fifteen  men.  He  visited  the  same  hot  springs,  and 
descended  some  sixty  feet  into  the  coal  mine,  near  Ivo- 
kura,  mentioned  by  Kampfer.  He  saw  only  one  thin 
seam  of  coal,  but  was  told  of  thicker  ones  below,  — an 
account  which  the  coal  drawn  up  seemed  to  confirm. 

At  Yedo  he  met  with  many  Japanese  physicians, 


TlIU  WlCDIMNC;  CliKKMONY 


A JAPANESE  CLOCK 


251 


astronomers,  and  others,  of  whose  acquisitions  he  speaks 
with  much  respect. 

Besides  the  other  means,  already  pointed  out,  of  meas- 
uring time,  he  saw  in  use  there  Chinese  clepsydras,  or 
water-clocks ; but  the  method  most  relied  upon  for 
scientific  purposes  was  a clock  of  which  the  idea  was 
derived  from  one  introduced  into  China  by  the  Jesuit 
Ricci,  and  brought  thence  to  Japan.  This  clock  is 
worked  by  two  balances,  one  to  act  by  day  and  the 
other  by  night.  The  arm  of  each  balance  is  notched, 
to  accord  with  the  variations  in  the  length  of  the  hours. 
At  the  summer  solstice  the  weights  are  hung  respec- 
tively upon  the  outermost  notch  of  the  day-balance,  and 
upon  the  innermost  notch  of  the  night-balance.  At 
intervals  of  six  days,  four  hours  and  twelve  minutes, 
both  \v eights  aie  moved;  that  of  the  day-balance  a notch 
inward,  that  of  the  night-balance  a notch  outward, 
until  at  the  winter  solstice  their  original  positions  are 
reversed. 

After  Siebold’s  return  to  Nagasaki,  he  continued  dili- 
gently to  follow  out  his  object,  keeping  up,  through 
means  of  the  interpreters,  a correspondence  with  his 
ledo  friends.  In  the  course  of  five  years  he  had  not 
only  made  large  collections  for  the  government  of  speci- 
mens in  natural  history,  but  also,  on  his  own  account,  of 
Japanese  books  and  other  curiosities,  besides  acquiring  a 
considerable  knowledge  of  the  language.  His  collec- 
tions in  natural  history  had  been  shipped  to  Batavia ; he 
was  preparing  himself  to  follow,  when  an  unlucky  dis- 
closure took  place.  The  imperial  astronomer,  notwith- 
standing the  law  to  the  contrary,  had  secretly  sent  him 
a copy  of  a new  map  of  Japan,  lately  constructed  on 
European  principles.  One  of  the  draftsmen  employed 


252 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


in  making  it  having  quarrelled  with  the  astronomer, 
informed  against  him,  in  consequence  of  which  the 
astronomer,  his  servants,  the  interpreters,  several  of 
Siebold’s  pupils,  and  other  Japanese  suspected  of  being 
concerned  in  this  affair,  were  arrested  and  subjected  to 
a strict  examination.  Siebold  himself  was  called  upon 
to  give  up  the  map ; and,  when  he  hesitated  about  it, 
underwent  a domiciliary  visit,  followed  by  an  order  to 
consider  himself  under  arrest,  and  prohibition  to  leave 
Japan  until  the  investigation  was  terminated.  Finding 
thus  not  only  the  fruits  of  his  own  labor,  but  the  lives 
of  his  Japanese  friends  in  danger,  he  made  a full  con- 
fession as  to  the  map,  endeavoring  thus  to  remove  sus- 
picions and  to  preserve  some  other  documents  in  his 
possession,  of  which  the  Japanese  yet  had  no  knowledge, 
and  which  might  have  compromised  other  persons  not 
yet  suspected.  Studiously  concealing  the  connection  of 
the  Dutch  government  with  his  mission,  he  thought  it 
best  to  represent  himself  as  simply  a private  inquirer, 
whose  researches  into  natural  history  and  the  physical 
sciences  might  be  no  less  useful  to  the  Japanese  than 
they  were  interesting  to  himself.  Of  the  particulars  of 
this  affair  no  account  has  ever  been  published.  It  is 
said  that  some  of  his  Japanese  friends  found  it  neces- 
sary to  cut  themselves  open,  but  Siebold  himself  was 
speedily  released,  with  his  entire  collections,  which  he 
brought  with  him  to  Holland,  and  by  means  of  which 
he  converted  his  residence  at  Leyden  into  a very 
curious  Japanese  museum. 

The  fruits  of  his  researches,  so  far  as  zoology  is  con- 
cerned, and  of  those  of  Dr.  Burger,  left  behind  as  his 
successor,  have  been  published  by  the  labors  of  some 
distinguished  naturalists,  and  under  the  patronage  of  the 


FAUNA  AND  FLORA 


253 


king  of  Holland,  in  a very  splendid  and  expensive  work, 
called  “ Fauna  Japonica,”  with  colored  plates  of  most  of 
the  animals  described,  and  in  the  preparation  of  which 
the  native  works  on  the  subject  were  largely  consulted. 
This  work  includes  three  lizards,  two  tortoises,  six 
snakes,  eleven  of  the  frog  family,  three  hundred  and 
fifty-nine  fishes  (Siebold  describes  the  Japanese  as  a 
nation  of  fish-eaters),  besides  several  whales,  and  two 
hundred  and  two  birds.  The  principal  quadrupeds, 
natives  of  Japan,  and  described  in  it,  are  a small  deer, 
an  antelope,  in  the  most  southern  parts  an  ape,  a wolf, 
a bear,  and  in  Yezo  another  more  ferocious  species,  like 
the  Rocky  Mountain  bear,  a wild  hog,  two  foxes,  and 
a number  of  smaller  animals.  There  is  no  animal  of 
the  cat  kind,  except  the  domestic  cat.  The  dogs  used 
for  hunting  appear  to  be  indigenous.  There  are  pet 
house-dogs,  derived  from  China,  and  troops  of  street- 
dogs  — belonging  to  no  individual,  but  denizens  of  par- 
ticular streets  — of  a mongrel  breed  between  the  two. 

The  “Flora  Japonica,”  prepared  by  Zaccarini,  from 
Siebold’s  collection  containing  descriptions  and  drawings 
of  one  hundred  and  twenty-four  remarkable  plants,  was 
interrupted  by  the  death  of  that  botanist,  as  was  also 
another,  less  costly,  but  fuller  enumeration  of  Japanese 
plants,  arranged  in  natural  families.  The  latter  work, 
so  far  as  completed,  contains  four  hundred  and  seventy- 
eight  genera,  and  eight  hundred  and  forty-seven  species. 
Siebold  states  that,  of  five  hundred  plants  most  remark- 
able for  ornament  or  utility,  at  least  half  are  of  foreign 
origin,  chiefly  from  China. 

Siebold’s  observations,  during  his  residence  in  Japan, 
upon  other  subjects  than  natural  history,  have  been 
principally  embraced  in  a publication  in  numbers, 


254 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


originally  in  German,  but  a French  translation  of  parts 
of  which  has  appeared,  entitled  “ Nippon,  or  Archives 
for  the  Description  of  Japan.”  This  work,  projected 
like  most  of  Siebold’s  publications,  on  an  extensive 
scale,  contains  many  translations  from  Japanese  histori- 
cal works,  and  exhibits  a great  deal  of  erudition ; at  the 
same  time  it  is  diffuse,  confused,  incoherent,  introduc- 
ing a great  deal  of  matter  with  only  a remote  bearing  on 
the  subject;  and,  whatever  light  it  may  throw  upon 
some  particular  points,  not,  on  the  whole,  adding  a great 
deal  to  the  knowledge  we  previously  had  of  Japan,  so 
far,  at  least,  as  the  general  reader  would  be  likely  to 
take  an  interest  in  it.1 

The  same  year  in  which  Siebold  was  released,  a party 
of  English  convicts,  on  their  way  to  Australia  in  the 
brig  “ Cyprus,”  mutinied  and  got  possession  of  the  ves- 
sel. After  cruising  about  for  five  months,  being  in  great 
distress  for  wood  and  water,  they  anchored  on  the  coast 

1 A series  of  numbers,  professing  to  give  the  substance  of  the  re- 
cent works  on  Japan,  principally  Fisscher’s,  Meylan’s,  and  Siebold’s, 
appeared  in  the  “ Asiatic  Journal  ” during  the  years  1839  and  1840,  and 
were  afterwards  collected  and  published  at  London  in  a volume,  and 
reprinted  in  Harper’s  Family  Library,  with  the  title  of  “ Manners  and 
Customs  of  the  Japanese  in  the  Nineteenth  Century.”  The  same  num- 
bers, to  which  some  others  were  subsequently  added  in  the  “ Asiatic 
Journal,”  were  reprinted  in  the  “ Chinese  Repository,”  with  notes,  de- 
rived from  the  information  given  to  the  editor  by  the  shipwrecked 
Japanese,  whom,  as  mentioned  above,  it  was  attempted  to  carry  home 
in  the  “Morrison.”  In  the  index  to  the  “ Chinese  Repository  ” these 
numbers  are  ascribed  to  a lady,  a Mrs.  B. 

A still  more  elaborate  and  comprehensive  work,  based  mainly  on 
the  same  materials,  and  often  drawing  largely  from  the  one  above  re- 
ferred to,  but  rendered  more  complete  by  extracts  from  Kampfer  and 
Thunberg,  is  De  Jancigny’s  “Japan,”  published  at  l’aris,  in  1850,  as  a 
part  of  the  great  French  collection,  entitled  “ L’univers,  ou  Ilistoire  et 
Description  de  tout  les  Peuples.” 

Neither  of  these  works  contains  any  account  of  the  Portuguese 
missions. 


VOYAGE  OF  THE  “MORRISON”  255 

of  Japan;  but  they  were  fired  at  from  the  shore,  and 
obliged  to  depart  without  accomplishing  their  object. 

Not  long  after  this  occurrence,  three  Japanese,  the 
only  survivors  of  the  crew  of  a junk,  driven  by  storms 
across  the  Pacific,  landed  on  Queen  Charlotte’s  Island, 
on  the  noi  th west  coast  of  America.  They  were  seized 
by  the  natives,  but  were  redeemed  by  an  agent  of  the 
English  Fur  Company,  at  the  mouth  of  Columbia  River, 
and  sent  to  England.  From  England  they  were  carried 
to  Macao,  where  they  were  placed  in  the  family  of  Mr. 
Gutzlaff,  the  missionary.  Some  time  after,  four  other 
Japanese,  who  had  been  wrecked  on  the  Philippines, 
were  brought  to  Macao. 

The  return  of  these  men  to  their  homes  seemed  a good 
opportunity  for  opening  a communication  with  Japan,  as 
weH  f°r  Mercantile  as  for  missionary  purposes,  and  an 
American  mercantile  house  at  Macao  fitted  out  the  brig 
“ Morrison  ” for  that  purpose,  in  which  sailed  one  of  the 
partners,  Dr.  Parker,  a missionary  physician,  and  Mr. 
S.  W.  Williams,  one  of  the  editors  of  the  “Chinese 
Repository,”  and  afterwards  Chinese  interpreter  to  Com- 
modore Perry’s  squadron.  At  Lew  Chew  [Riukiu], 
where  the  vessel  touched,  Mr.  Gutzlaff  also  came  on 
board. 

On  the  27th  of  July,  1837,  the  chain  of  islands  was 
made  leading  up  to  the  bay  of  Yedo,  up  which  the 
“ Morrison  ” proceeded  some  thirty  miles,  to  Uraga,  the 
west  coast  of  the  bay  rising  hill  above  hill,  and  the  view 
terminating  in  the  lofty  peak  of  Fuji.  Near  Uraga,  many 
of  the  hills  were  cultivated  in  terraces,  but  the  general 
aspect  of  the  shores  was  bleak  and  barren.  Just  above, 
the  passage  was  narrowed  by  two  points  of  land  pro- 
jecting from  opposite  directions. 


256 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


Having  anchored  about  three  quarters  of  a mile  from 
the  shore,  the  ship  was  soon  visited  by  a number  of 
boats.  Their  crews,  some  two  hundred  in  number,  and 
evidently  of  the  lower  class,  hardly  seemed  to  under- 
stand the  Chinese  writing  in  which  provisions,  water, 
and  a government  officer  to  communicate  with,  were 
asked  for.  They  seemed,  however,  to  invite  a landing ; 
but  during  the  night  cannon  were  planted  on  the  near- 
est eminence,  and,  though  the  firing  was  unskilful,  the 
“ Morrison  ” was  obliged  to  weigh.  She  was  pursued 
by  three  gun-boats,  each  with  thirty  or  forty  men,  which 
bore  down  upon  her,  firing  swivels ; but  when  she  lay 
to,  to  wait  for  them,  they  retired.  A piece  of  canvas,  on 
which  was  painted,  in  Chinese,  that  a foreign  ship  de- 
sired to  return  some  shipwrecked  natives,  and  to  obtain 
some  provisions  and  water,  was  thrown  overboard ; but, 
though  it  was  picked  up,  no  notice  was  taken  of  it.  The 
Japanese  on  board,  who  had  recognized  the  shores  of 
their  country  with  delight,  were  much  mortified  at  the 
result,  which  they  ascribed  in  part  to  their  not  having 
been  allowed  to  communicate  with  their  countrymen. 

For  the  purpose  of  making  a second  experiment,  on 
the  20th  of  August  the  “ Morrison  ” entered  the  bay  of 
Kagoshima,  in  the  principality  of  Satsuma.  The  shores, 
rising  gradually  from  the  water,  were  under  high  culti- 
vation. A boat  from  the  ship  boarded  a Japanese  fish- 
ing vessel,  and  proceeded  to  a little  village,  where  they 
found  the  people  in  great  commotion.  The  “ Morrison  ” 
followed,  and  when  opposite  the  village,  was  visited  by 
a richl}7  dressed  officer,  with  a number  of  almost  naked 
attendants.  He  stated  that,  supposing  the  ship  to  be  a 
pirate,  preparations  had  been  made  to  fire  on  her ; but, 
satisfied  by  the  representations  of  the  Japanese  on  board 


SIGNS  OF  HOSTILITY 


257 


of  the  true  state  of  the  case,  he  received,  with  much  ap- 
parent interest,  the  despatches  prepared  for  the  prince 
of  Satsuma  and  the  emperor,  -which  lie  promised  to  de- 
liver to  a superior  officer.  He  left  a pilot  on  board;  a 
supply  of  water  was  sent,  and  the  ship  was  visited  by 
many  boat-loads  of  people,  superior  in  appearance  to 
those  seen  in  the  bay  of  Yedo;  but  they  brought  noth- 
ing to  sell. 

The  despatches  were  soon  brought  back  by  several 
officers,  the  superior  officer,  it  was  stated,  declining  to 
receive  them.  They  added  that  the  depositions  of  the 
Japanese  passengers,  who  had  landed  for  the  purpose  of 
giving  them,  had  been  forwarded  to  Kagoshima,  and 
that  a superior  officer  might  be  expected  from  that  city. 
Provisions  were  promised,  and  that  the  vessel  should  Ixi 
towed  higher  up  the  bay ; early  in  the  morning  of  the 
twelfth,  the  crew  of  a fishing-boat  communicated  to  the 
Japanese  on  board  a rumor  that  the  ship  was  to  be  ex- 
pelled. Warlike  preparations  were  soon  seen  on  shore, 
in  strips  of  blue  and  white  canvas  stretched  from  tree  to 
tree.  The  Japanese  on  board  stated,  with  rueful  faces, 
that  these  preparations  portended  war ; nor,  according  to 
their  description,  were  these  cloth  batteries  so  contempt- 
ible as  they  might  seem,  as  four  or  five  pieces  of  heavy 
canvas,  loosely  stretched,  one  behind  another,  at  short 
intervals,  would  weaken  the  force  of,  indeed  almost  stop, 
a cannon  ball. 

Officers  on  horseback,  and  several  hundred  soldiers, 
soon  made  their  appearance,  and  a fire  of  musketry  and 
artillery  was  commenced.  The  anchor  was  weighed, 
and  the  sails  set,  but  there  was  no  wind.  For  eighteen 
hours  the  ship  was  exposed,  without  any  means  of  offer- 
ing resistance,  to  two  fires  from  opposite  sides  of  the 

VOL.  II.  — 17 


258 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


bay,  which  was  from  three  to  five  miles  broad,  till  at 
last  she  was  with  difficulty  conducted  clear  of  the  shoals 
and  past  the  forts. 

All  hope  of  friendly  intercourse,  or  of  returning  the 
men,  was  now  abandoned.  The  poor  fellows  suffered 
severely  at  this  unexpected  extinction  of  their  prospect 
of  revisiting  their  families.  They  expressed  great  indig- 
nation at  the  conduct  of  their  countrymen,  and  two  of 
them  shaved  their  heads  entirely  in  token,  as  it  was  un- 
derstood, of  having  renounced  their  native  soil.  As  it 
was  not  deemed  expedient  to  go  to  Nagasaki,  where  the 
Japanese  on  board  expressed  their  determination  not  to 
land,  the  “ Morrison  ” returned  to  Macao.1 

In  1843,  probably  in  consequence  of  this  visit  of  the 
“ Morrison,”  the  Japanese  authorities  promulgated  an 
edict,  of  which  the  following  is  a translation,  as  given 
by  the  Dutch  at  Deshima,  who  were  requested  to  com- 
municate to  the  other  European  nations,  — the  first 
attempt  ever  made  to  employ  their  agency  for  that 
purpose. 

“Shipwrecked  persons  of  the  Japanese  nation  must  not 
be  brought  back  to  their  country,  except  on  board  of  Dutch 
or  Chinese  ships,  for,  in  case  these  shipwrecked  persons 

1 Three  accounts  of  this  voyage  have  been  published:  one  by 
Williams  (“Chinese  Repository,”  Nov.  and  Dec.  1837);  a second  by 
Parker,  London,  1838,  and  a third  by  King,  New  York,  1839.  It  is  pos- 
sible that  outrages  by  whaling  vessels,  which  had  begun  to  frequent 
the  seas  of  Japan  in  considerable  numbers,  might  have  somewhat  in- 
creased the  antipathy  of  the  Japanese  towards  foreigners.  Of  trans- 
actions of  that  kind  we  should  be  little  likely  to  hear,  but  that  they 
did  sometimes  occur  seems  to  be  proved  by  a paragraph  in  the  “ Sid- 
ney Gazette  ” of  February,  1842,  warning  mariners  to  be  cautious  how 
they  landed  on  Japan,  as  a Japanese  village  on  the  east  coast  of  the 
islands,  somewhere  near  43°  north  latitude,  had  been  recently  destroyed 
by  the  crew  of  the  Lady  Kowena,  then  in  the  harbor  of  Sidney,  and 
whose  captain  openly  boasted  of  the  fact. 


a vu siting  xeiuaaiiQ  y 


THE  “SARAMANG”  AT  NAGASAKI 


259 


shall  be  brought  back  in  the  ships  of  other  nations,  they  will 
not  be  received.  Considering  the  express  prohibition,  even 
to  Japanese  subjects,  to  explore  or  make  examinations  of 
the  coasts  or  islands  of  the  empire,  this  prohibition,  for 
greater  reason,  is  extended  to  foreigners.” 

The  British  opium  war  in  China,  of  the  progress  of 
which  the  Japanese  were  well  informed,  if  it  increased 
the  desire  of  the  English  to  gain  access  to  Japan,  did 
not,  by  any  means,  diminish  the  Japanese  dread  of 
foreigners.1 

In  1845,  the  British  surveying  frigate  “ Saramang  ” 
entered  the  harbor  of  Nagasaki.  As  she  approached  she 
was  surrounded  by  numerous  guard-boats,  from  one  of 
which  a letter  was  handed,  in  Dutch  and  French,  direct- 
ing her  to  anchor  off  the  entrance,  till  visited  by  the 
authorities.  The  Japanese  officers  who  came  on  boanl 
stated  that  they  had  been  apprised  of  this  intended  visit 
by  the  Dutch,  and  that  they  were  acquainted  with  the 
recent  visit  of  the  “ Saramang  ” to  the  Lew  Chew  and 
other  islands,  and  of  her  operations  there. 

With  great  difficulty  permission  was  obtained  to  land, 

1 Had  the  Japanese  been  readers  of  the  London  newspapers,  they 
might  have  found  in  the  following  paragraph,  which  appeared  in  the 
“Examiner”  of  January  21,  1843,  fresh  motives  for  persisting  in  their 
exclusive  policy:  “'Missionaries  to  China.  — One  of  the  largest 
meetings,  perhaps,  ever  held  in  Exeter  Hall  was  held  on  Tuesday 
evening,  convened  by  the  London  Missionary  Society,  to  consider  the 
means  of  extending  and  promoting  in  China  the  objects  of  the  society. 
Wm.  T.  Blair,  Esq.,  of  Bath,  presided.  Dr.  Liefchild  moved  the  first 
resolution,  expressive  of  thanksgiving  to  God  for  the  war  between  China  and 
Great  Britain  (the  infamous  opium  war),  and  for  the  greatly  enlarged 
facilities  secured  by  the  treaty  of  peace  for  the  introduction  of  Chris- 
tianity into  that  empire.  This  resolution  was  seconded  by  the  Rev. 
Dr.  Adler,  and  was  carried  unanimously.”  I have  met  with  nothing  in 
the  letters  of  the  Jesuit  missionaries,  nor  in  the  Jesuit  missions,  that 
can  be  compared  with  this  specimen  of  Protestant  zeal. 


2G0 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


in  order  to  make  some  astronomical  observations,  but  the 
officers  earnestly  begged  that  this  might  not  be  repeated 
till  they  could  consult  their  superiors ; nor  were  they 
willing  that  the  vessel  should  leave  till  such  consultation 
had  taken  place.  They  asked,  for  this  purpose,  a stay  of 
two  days.  The  captain  offered  to  wait  four  days,  if  they 
would  allow  his  observations  to  be  continued ; but  this 
they  declined,  urging  as  a reason  their  own  danger  of 
punishment.  The  vessel  was  freely  supplied  with  such 
provisions  as  she  needed,  and  the  British  officers  were 
strongly  impressed  with  the  demeanor  of  the  Japanese, 
as  at  once  dignified  and  respectful. 

That  same  year,  the  American  whale-ship  “ Merca- 
tor,” Captain  Cooper,  while  cruising  among  the  northern 
islands  of  the  Japanese  group,  fell  in  with  a sinking 
junk,  from  which  she  took  eleven  Japanese  sailors,  and 
as  many  more  from  a rock  to  which  they  had  escaped. 
Captain  Cooper  proceeded  with  these  rescued  men  to  the 
bay  of  Yedo,  and  on  anchoring  there  was  surrounded  by 
near  four  hundred  armed  boats,  which  took  the  ship  in 
tow,  took  all  the  arms  out  of  her,  and  carried  her  in  front 
of  a neighboring  town,  probably  Odawara.  Here  she 
was  guarded  for  three  days,  being  all  the  while  an  object 
of  curiosity  to  great  crowds.  Orders  presently  came 
from  Yedo,  in  these  words : 

“I  am  informed,  by  the  months  of  some  shipwrecked 
persons  of  our  country,  that  they  have  been  brought  home 
by  your  ship,  and  that  they  have  been  well  treated.  But, 
according  to  our  laws,  they  must  not  be  brought  home 
except  by  the  Chinese  or  Dutch.  Nevertheless,  in  the  pres- 
ent case,  we  shall  make  an  exception,  because  the  return 
of  these  men  by  you  must  be  attributed  to  your  ignorance 
of  these  laws.  In  future,  Japanese  subjects  will  not  be 


MISSION  OF  COMMODORE  BIDDLE 


2G1 


received  in  like  circumstances,  and  will  have  to  be  treated 
rigorously  when  returned.  You  are  hereby  advised  of  this, 
and  that  you  must  make  it  known  to  others. 

“ As,  in  consequence  of  your  long  voyage,  provisions, 
and  wood  and  water  are  wanting  on  board  your  ship,  we 
have  regard  to  your  request,  and  whatever  you  want  will  be 
given  to  you. 

“As  soon  as  possible  after  the  reception  of  this  order,  the 
ship  must  depart  and  return  directly  to  her  own  country.” 

Immediately  upon  the  receipt  of  this  order,  the  ship 
was  abundantly  supplied  with  provisions,  her  arms  were 
returned,  and  she  was  towed  out  of  the  bay  by  a file  of 
boats  more  than  a mile  long.  It  would  seem  that  since 
the  visit  of  the  “ Morrison,”  a fleet  of  guard-boats  had 
been  provided  to  take  the  bay  of  Yedo  in  charge. 

Commodore  Biddle,  sent  soon  after  to  the  China  Seas, 
with  a considerable  American  naval  force,  was  instructed, 
among  other  things,  to  ascertain  if  the  ports  of  Japan 
were  accessible.  With  this  object  in  view,  with  the 
“ Columbus  ” ship  of  the  line,  and  “ Vincennes  ” frigate, 
he  anchored  (July  20, 1848)  in  the  bay  of  Yedo.  Before’ 
the  ships  reached  their  anchorage,  an  officer  with  a Dutch 
interpreter  came  on  board  to  inquire  their  object.  He 
was  told  that  the  vessels  came  as  friends  to  ascertain 
whether  Japan  had,  like  China,  opened  her  ports  to  for- 
eign trade ; and,  if  she  had,  to  negotiate  a treaty  of 
commerce.  The  officer  requested  that  this  statement 
should  be  reduced  to  writing,  for  transmission  to  the 
higher  authorities.  He  also  stated  that  all  needed  sup- 
plies would  be  furnished,  but  refused  permission  to  land, 
and  even  wished  to  stop  the  passing  of  boats  between 
the  two  vessels ; but  as  the  commodore  would  not  agree 
to  this,  he  did  not  persist  in  it.  The  vessel  was  soon 


262 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


surrounded  by  a multitude  of  boats,  and  as  many  Japa- 
nese as  wished  were  allowed  to  come  on  board,  both  as 
a proof  of  friendship  and  to  let  them  see  the  strength 
of  the  ships. 

Another  officer,  apparently  of  higher  rank,  came  on 
board  the  following  morning.  He  stated  that  foreign 
ships,  on  arriving  in  Japan,  were  required  to  give  up  their 
arms ; but  when  told  that  only  trading  vessels  could  be 
expected  to  do  that,  he  appeared  to  be  satisfied.  The 
emperor’s  reply  might  be  expected,  he  said,  in  five  or  six 
days.  He  was  offered  copies  in  Chinese  of  the  late  Eng- 
lish, French,  and  American  treaties  with  China,  but  de- 
clined to  receive  them,  as  did  all  the  other  Japanese 
officers  to  whom  they  were  offered.  To  explain  the 
concourse  of  guard-boats  about  the  ship,  he  pretended 
that  they  were  only  waiting  in  readiness  to  tow  the  ships, 
if  needed.  These  boats  followed  the  ships’  boats  when 
sent  at  some  distance  for  sounding,  but  did  not  offer  to 
molest  them,  nor  did  the  crews'of  the  ships’  boats  make 
any  attempt  to  land. 

The  Japanese,  who  had  undertaken  to  water  the  ships, 
sent  off  the  first  day  less  than  two  hundred  gallons,  and 
the  next  day  not  so  much.  As  this  was  less  than  the 
daily  consumption,  the  commodore  stated  that  if  they 
went  on  so,  he  should  send  his  own  boats.  This  was  by 
no  means  acceptable,  and  in  the  next  two  days  they 
furnished  twenty-one  thousand  gallons. 

On  the  28th,  an  officer  with  a suite  of  eight  persons 
came  on  board  with  the  emperor’s  letter,  which,  as 
translated  by  the  Dutch  interpreter,  read  thus: 

“ According  to  the  Japanese  laws,  the  Japanese  may  not 
trade  except  with  the  Dutch  and  Chinese.  It  will  not  he 


THE  EMPEROR'S  LETTER 


2(33 


allowed  that  America  make  a treaty  with  Japan  or  trade 
with  her,  as  the  same  is  not  allowed  with  any  other  nation. 
Concerning  strange  lands  all  things  are  fixed  at  Nagasaki, 
but  not  here  in  the  bay ; therefore,  you  must  depart  as  quick 
as  possible,  and  not  come  any  more  to  Japan.” 

The  Japanese  original,  as  translated  at  Canton,  fust 
into  Chinese  and  from  Chinese  into  English,  runs  as 
follows : 

“ The  object  of  this  communication  is  to  explain  the  rea- 
sons why  we  refuse  to  trade  with  foreigners  who  come  to 
this  country  across  the  ocean  for  that  purpose. 

“This  has  been  the  habit  of  our  nation  from  time  imme- 
morial. In  all  cases  of  a similar  kind  that  have  occurred 
we  have  positively  refused  to  trade.  Foreigners  have  come 
to  us  from  various  quarters,  but  have  always  been  received 
in  the  same  way.  In  taking  this  course  with  regard  to  you, 
we  only  pursue  our  accustomed  policy.  We  can  make  no 
distinction  between  different  foreign  nations  — we  treat 
them  all  alike,  and  you  as  Americans  must  receive  the  same 
answer  with  the  rest.  It  will  be  of  no  use  to  renew  the 
attempt,  as  all  applications  of  the  kind,  however  numerous 
they  may  be,  will  be  steadily  rejected. 

“We  are  aware  that  our  customs  are  in  this  respect  dif- 
ferent from  those  of  some  other  countries,  but  every  nation 
has  a right  to  manage  its  affairs  in  its  own  way. 

“The  trade  carried  on  with  the  Dutch  at  Nagasaki  is 
not  to  be  regarded  as  furnishing  a precedent  for  trade  with 
other  foreign  nations.  The  place  is  one  of  few  inhabi- 
tants and  very  little  business,  and  the  whole  affair  is  of  no 
importance. 

“In  conclusion,  we  have  to  say  that  the  emperor  posi- 
tively refuses  the  permission  you  desire.  He  earnestly 
advises  you  to  depart  immediately,  and  to  consult  your 
own  safety  in  not  appearing  again  upon  our  coast.” 


264 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


This  paper,  which  had  neither  address,  signature,  nor 
date,  was  enclosed  in  an  open  envelope,  on  which  was 
written,  “Explanatory  Edict.”  With  respect  to  the  deliv- 
ery of  it,  the  following  circumstance  occurred,  which  will 
best  be  stated  in  the  words  of  the  commodore’s  despatch: 
“I  must  now  communicate  an  occurrence  of  an  un- 
pleasant character.  On  the  morning  that  the  officer 
came  down  in  the  junk  with  the  emperor’s  letter,  I was 
requested  to  go  on  board  the  junk  to  receive  it.  I re- 
fused, and  informed  the  interpreter  that  the  officer  must 
deliver  on  board  this  ship  any  letter  that  had  been  en- 
trusted him  forme.  To  this  the  officer  assented;  but 
added,  that  my  letter  having  been  delivered  on  board 
the  American  ship,  he  thought  the  emperor’s  letter 
should  be  delivered  on  board  the  Japanese  vessel.  As 
the  Japanese  officer,  though  attaching  importance  to  his 
own  proposal,  had  withdrawn  it  as  soon  as  I objected  to 
it,  I concluded  that  it  might  be  well  for  me  to  gratify  him, 
and  I informed  the  interpreter  that  I would  go  on  board 
the  junk,  and  there  receive  the  letter.  The  interpreter 
then  went  on  board  the  junk,  and  in  an  hour  afterwards 
I went  alongside  in  the  ship’s  boat,  in  my  uniform.  At 
the  moment  that  I was  stepping  on  board,  a Japanese  on 
the  deck  of  the  junk  gave  me  a blow  or  push,  which 
threw  me  back  into  the  boat.  I immediately  called  to 
the  interpreter  to  have  the  man  seized,  and  then  returned 
to  the  ship.”  The  interpreter  and  a number  of  Japanese 
followed,  who  expressed  great  concern  at  what  had  hap- 
pened, and  who  succeeded  in  convincing  the  commodore 
that  his  intention  of  coming  on  board  had  not  been  un- 
derstood. They  offered  to  inflict  any  punishment  he  chose 
on  the  offender;  but  as  to  that  matter  lie  referred  them 
to  the  laws  of  Japan;  and  being  satisfied  that  it  was  an 


Shinto  Funeral 


CAPTIVE  SEAMEN 


265 


individual  act,  without  authority  from  the  officers,  he 
concluded  to  be  satisfied.1  What  interpretation  was  put 
upon  his  conduct  by  the  Japanese  will  presently  appear. 

At  the  very  moment  that  these  ships  were  thus  un- 
ceremoniously sent  away,  eight  American  sailors  were 
imprisoned  in  Japan,  though  possibly  the  fact  was  not 
then  known  at  1 edo.  They  had  escaped  from  the  wreck 
of  the  whaleship  “Lawrence,”  to  one  of  the  Japanese 
Kuriles,  where  they  had  landed  early  hi  June.  After  an 
imprisonment  of  several  months,  they  were  taken  to 
Matsumae,  and  finally  to  Nagasaki.  One  of  them,  in  an 
attempt  to  escape,  was  killed.  At  last,  after  seventeen 
months’  confinement,  they  were  given  Tip  to  the  Dutch 
at  Deshima,  and  sent  to  Batavia  in  the  ship  of  1847. 
According  to  an  account  signed  by  the  mate  and  pub- 
lished in  the  Serampore  “Free  Press,”  their  usage  had 
been  very  hard. 

On  the  28th  of  July,  the  day  preceding  the  departure 
of  the  two  American  ships  from  the  bay  of  Yedo,  two 
French  ships  of  war,  the  frigate  “ Cleopatra,”  commanded 
by  Admiial  Cecille,  and  a corvette,  on  a surveying  expe- 
dition, entered  the  harbor  of  ^Nagasaki,  for  the  purpose, 
as  the  admiral  stated,  of  letting  the  Japanese  know  that 
the  Fiench,  too,  had  great  ships  of  war;  but  being  sur- 
lounded  by  boats  and  refused  all  intercourse  with  the 
shoie,  the}  departed  within  twenty-four  hours.  In  conse- 
quence of  these  visits  the  Dutch  at  length  communicated 
to  the  French  and  American  governments  copies  of  the 
edict  of  1843,  concerning  the  return  of  shipwrecked  Jap- 
anese, and  surveys  of  the  Japanese  coast,  already  given. 

1 His  instructions  cautioned  him  not  to  do  anything  « to  excite  a 
hostile  feeling,  or  distrust  of  the  United  States.”  The  official  papers  re 
lating  to  this  expedition,  and  to  the  subsequent  one  of  the  “ Preble  ” will 
be  found  in  “ Senate  Documents,”  1851-1852,  vol.  ix  (Ex.  Doc.  No!  59). 


266 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


In  September,  1848,  fifteen  foreign  seamen  arrived  at 
Nagasaki,  forwarded  from  Matsumae  in  a Japanese  junk, 
from  which  they  were  carried  in  close  kago  to  a temple 
prepared  for  their  residence,  and  around  which  a high 
palisade  was  erected,  no  communication  with  them  being 
allowed.  Indeed,  it  was  not  without  a good  deal  of 
difficulty  that  the  director  of  the  Dutch  factory  obtained 
leave  to  send  them  some  articles  of  food  and  clothing. 
As  none  of  the  sailors  understood  Dutch,  the  Japanese 
officers  who  had  them  in  charge  found  it  difficult  to 
communicate  with  them,  — to  aid  in  which  the  Dutch 
director  was  finally  called  in.  Eight  of  the  men,  accord- 
ing to  their  own  account,  were  Americans,  all  quite 
young,  and  seven  of  them  Sandwich-Islanders.  They 
stated  themselves  to  have  escaped  from  the  wreck 
of  the  American  whaler,  “ Ladoga,”  which,  accord- 
ing to  their  account,  had  struck  a shoal  in  the  Sea  of 
Japan,  and  gone  to  pieces.  The  director  wished  to 
send  them  to  Batavia  in  the  annual  Dutch  vessel, 
then  about  to  sail,  but  for  this  a reference  to  Yedo 
was  necessary,  which  would  take  forty  days,  much 
beyond  the  time  fixed  by  the  Japanese  rule  for  the 
departure  of  the  ship. 

These  facts  having  been  communicated,  under  date  of 
January  27,  1849,  by  the  Dutch  consul  at  Canton  to  the 
American  commissioner  there,  Captain  Geisenger,  in 
command  on  that  station,  despatched  the  sloop-of-war 
“Preble,”  Commander  Glyn,  to  Nagasaki,  to  bring  away 
these  sailors. 

Glyn  touched  at  Lew  Chew,  where  he  learned  from  the 
Rev.  B.  J.  Bettelheim,1  a missionary  resident  there,  that 

1 Dr.  Bettelheim  is  at  this  moment  in  this  country,  anxious  to  be 
employed  as  a missionary  to  Japan,  for  which  his  experience,  derived 


NOTIFICATIONS  TO  FOREIGN  SHIPS 


267 


very  exaggerated  reports  had  reached  these  islands  of 
chastisement  inflicted  upon  an  American  officer  who  had 
visited  Yedo  in  a “big ’’ship.  The  missionary  seemed 
even  to  think  that  these  reports  were  not  without  their  in- 
fluence upon  the  authorities  of  Lew  Chew,  as  the  cause  of 
a “want  of  accommodation”  exhibited  in  their  conduct 
towards  the  “Preble,”  — a piece  of  information  which 
had  its  influence  in  leading  Captain  Glyn  to  assume  a 
very  decided  tone  in  his  subsequent  intercourse  with  the 
authorities  of  Nagasaki. 

The  “ Preble  ” made  the  land  off  Nagasaki  on  the  17th 
of  April.  Japanese  boats,  which  soon  came  alongside, 
threw  on  board  a bamboo,  in  the  split  of  which  were 
papers  containing  the  customary  notification  to  foreign 
vessels,  as  to  their  anchorage,  and  the  conduct  they  were 
to  observe,  and  certain  questions  which  they  were  to 
answer.  These  papers  (in  English,  with  some  Dutch 
variations)  were  verbatim  as  follows : 

1.  Warning  to  respective  commanders,  their  officers  and 
crew  of  the  vessels  approaching  the  coast  o f Japan,  or  anchor- 
ing near  the  coast  in  the  bags  of  the  empire.  — During  the 
time  foreign  vessels  are  on  the  coast  of  Japan  or  near,  as 
well  as  in  the  bay  of  Nagasaki,  it  is  expected  and  likewise 
ordered,  that  every  one  of  the  scliip's  company  will  behave 
properly  towards  and  accost  civillen  the  Japanese  subjects 

from  a nine  years’  residence  in  Lew  Chew,  gives  him  peculiar  qualifi- 
cations. His  treatment  there  was  characteristic.  The  authorities  were 
anxious  to  get  rid  of  him,  but  afraid  to  send  him  away  by  force,  while 
he  was  determined  not  to  go.  The  inhabitants  were  ordered  to  keep 
away  from  his  house,  to  sell  him  nothing  beyond  a supply  of  food,  and 
to  avoid  him  whenever  he  came  near ; while  officers  were  appointed  to 
watch  and  to  follow  him  wherever  he  went.  See“GIyn’s  Letter”  in 
Senate  Documents,  1851-1852,  vol.  ix  No.  59.  There  are  also  two 
curious  pamphlets  on  the  subject,  written  by  Dr.  Ilettelheim,  and 
printed  at  Canton. 


268 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


in  general.  No  one  may  leave  the  vessle , or  use  her  boats 
for  cruising  or  landing  on  the  islands  or  on  the  main  coast, 
and  ought  to  remain  on  board  until  further  advice  from  the 
Japanese  government  lias  been  received.  It  is  likewise 
forbidden  to  fire  guns,  or  use  other  fire-arms  on  board  the 
vessle , as  well  as  in  their  boats.  Very  disagreeable  conse- 
quences might  result  in  case  the  aforesaid  schould  not  be 
strictly  observed.  (Signed.)  The  Governor  of  Nagasaki. 

2.  To  the  commanders  of  vessels  approaching  this  empire 
under  Dutch  or  other  colors.  — By  express  orders  of  the 
governor  of  Nagasaki,  you  are  requested,  as  soon  as  you 
have  arrived  near  the  northern  Cavallos,  to  anchor  there  at 
a safe  place,  and  to  remain  until  you  will  have  received 
further  advice.  Very  disagreeable  consequeuces  might 
result  in  case  this  order  should  not  be  strictly  observed. 
Deshima.  (Signed.)  The  Reporters  attached  to  the  Su- 
perintendent’s office.  (Seal.)  Translated  by  the  Super- 
intendent of  the  Netherlands’  trade  in  Japan.  (Qu.  chief 
interpreter  ?) 

3.  (This  is  addressed  like  No.  2,  and  contains  the  same 
orders  about  anchorage.  It  then  proceeds  as  follows : ) 
“ Please  to  auswer,  as  distinctly  and  as  soon  as  possible, 
the  following  questions:  What  is  the  name  of  your  vessel? 
What  her  tonnage?  What  is  the  number  of  her  crew? 
Where  do  you  come  from?  What  is  the  date  of  your  de- 
parture? Have  you  any  wrecked  Japanese  on  board? 
Have  you  anything  to  ask  for,  as  water,  firewood,  etc.  etc.  ? 
Are  any  more  vessels  in  company  with  you  bound  for  this 
empire?  By  order  the  governor  of  Nagasaki.  Translated 
by  the  Superintendent  of  the  Netherlands’  trade  in  Japan. 
Deshima. 

1 Upper  Reporter.  (Seal.) 

Under  Reporter.  (Seal.) 

1 The  same  officers  probably,  designated  by  Kampfer  as  deputies  of 
the  governor,  called  by  Thunberg,  Banjoshu,  and  by  the  more  recent 
Dutch  writers,  Gobanjoshu. 


AMERICAN  PRISONERS 


269 


The  ship  was  soon  after  boarded  by  a Japanese  inter- 
preter with  seven  men,  who  gave  directions  in  English 
as  to  her  anchorage ; but,  as  the  captain  persisted  in 
selecting  his  own  ground,  the  officer  yielded.  To 
another  officer,  who  came  on  board  to  learn  what  he 
wanted,  he  stated  his  object,  which  led  to  many  inquiries. 
The  vessel  was  surrounded  by  guard-boats,  and  the  usual 
offer  was  made  of  supplies,  which  were  refused  unless 
payment  would  be  accepted.  To  an  officer  who  came 
on  board  the  next  day,  Captain  Glyn  complained  of  these 
guard-boats ; and  he  gave  him  also  a letter  to  the  gov- 
ernor of  Nagasaki,  stilting  his  object.  The  same  officer 
having  returned  on  the  22d,  but  only  with  promises  of  a 
speedy  answer,  Captain  Glyn  remonstrated  with  warmth. 
Finally,  on  the  26th,  through  ^he  intervention  of  the 
Dutch  director,  who,  being  sick  himself,  sent  one  of  his 
subordinates  on  board,  the  sailors  were  delivered  up 
without  waiting  to  send  to  Yedo,  as  had  been  proposed. 
The  day  before,  a curious  memorandum  in  Japanese 
Dutch,  a sort  of  journal  or  history  of  the  prisoners  since 
their  capture,  was  handed  to  the  captain,  who  was  very 
hard-pressed  to  say  whether  he  would  sail  as  soon  as  he 
received  them.  Another  memorandum  in  Dutch  was 
also  handed  to  him,  to  the  effect  that,  as  all  shipwrecked 
mariners  were  sent  home  by  the  Chinese  or  Dutch,  this 
special  sending  for  them  was  not  to  be  allowed. 

It  appears,  from  the  statements  of  the  men,  that  they 
were,  in  fact,  deserters,  having  left  the  Ladoga  near  the 
Straits  of  Sangar.  At  a village  on  the  coast  of  Yezo, 
where  they  landed,  they  were  supplied  with  rice  and 
firewood,  but  while  they  stayed  were  guarded  by  soldiers, 
and  surrounded  by  a cloth  screen,  as  if  to  keep  them 
from  seeing  the  country.  Landing  two  days  after  at 


270 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


another  village,  they  were  detained  as  prisoners,  and 
were  confined  in  a house  guarded  by  soldiers;  but  for 
some  time  were  amused  by  promises  that  they  should 
be  released  and  furnished  with  a boat.  Disappointed 
in  this  expectation,  two  of  them  escaped,  but  were 
speedily  recaptured.  A quarrel  taking  place  between 
them,  one  of  them  was  shut  up  in  a cage,  and  two  others, 
having  made  a second  escape,  after  being  retaken  were 
shut  up  with  him.  A new  quarrel  happening  in  the  cage, 
one  of  the  prisoners  was  taken  out  and  severely  whipped. 
Two  months  after  their  capture,  the  whole  number  were 
put  in  a junk,  the  three  close  prisoners  in  one  cage,  the 
twelve  others  in  another,  and  forwarded  to  Nagasaki. 
They  were  lodged  at  first  in  a palisaded  and  guarded 
house,  and  were  subjected  to  several  interrogations, 
being  flattered  with  hopes  of  being  sent  home  in  the 
Dutch  vessel  then  in  the  harbor.  In  order  to  get  on 
board  her,  McCoy  (who  described  himself  as  twenty- 
three  years  old,  and  born  in  Philadelphia,  and  who 
appears  to  have  been  the  most  intelligent  of  the  party) 
made  a third  escape.  Japanese  jails,  he  observed,  might 
do  well  enough  for  Japanese,  but  could  not  hold  Ameri- 
cans. Being  retaken,  he  was  tied,  — much  as  described 
in  Golownin’s  narrative,  — put  into  a sort  of  stocks,  and 
repeatedly  examined  under  suspicion  of  being  a spy. 
Thence  he  was  taken  to  the  common  prison  and  confined 
by  himself  for  three  weeks  ; but,  on  threatening  to  starve 
himself,  and  refusing  to  eat  for  three  days,  he  was 
restored  to  his  companions,  it  would  seem,  through  the 
intercession  of  the  Dutch  director,  who  endeavored  to 
persuade  the  men  to  wait  patiently,  and  not  to  quarrel 
amonsf  themselves. 

After  a month’s  longer  detention,  a new  escape  was 


TREATMENT  OF  PRISONERS 


271 


planned,  but  only  McCoy  and  two  others  succeeded  in 
getting  out.  Being  retaken  they  were  tied,  put  in  the 
stocks,  and  finally  all  were  sent  to  the  common  prison, 
where  they  had  very  hard  usage.  It  was  stated,  and  no 
doubt  truly  enough,  in  the  Dutch  memorandum,  respect 
ing  their  treatment,  handed  in  by  the  Japanese,  that  they 
gave  so  much  trouble  that  the  authorities  hardly  knew 
what  to  do  with  them.  One  of  the  Americans  died,  and 
one  of  the  Sandwich-Islanders  hung  himself.  McCoy, 
who  had  learned  considerable  Japanese,  was  secretly 
informed  of  the  arrival  of  the  “ Preble  ” by  one  of  the 
guards  with  whom  he  had  established  an  intimacy. 

At  the  same  time  with  these  men  another  seaman  from 
an  American  whaler  was  delivered  up,  who  had  landed 
a month  or  two  later  on  some  still  more  northerly  Japa- 
nese island.  As  this  man,  named  McDonald,  and  who 
described  himself  as  twenty-four  years  old,  and  born  at 
Astoria,  in  Oregon,  had  made  no  attempt  at  escaping, 
he  had  no  occasion  to  complain  of  severity.  In  fact,  he 
lived  in  clover,  the  Japanese  having  put  him  to  use  as  a 
teacher  of  English.  The  very  interpreter  who  boarded 
the  “ Preble  ” had  been  one  of  his  scholars.  All  these 
men  stated  that  they  had  been  required  to  trample  on  the 
crucifix  as  a proof  that  they  were  not  Portuguese,  that 
reason  being  suggested  to  them  when  they  showed  some 
reluctance  to  do  it. 

McCoy  mentioned,  and  others  confirmed  it,  that  when 
he  threatened  the  Japanese  guards  with  vengeance  from 
some  American  ship  of  war,  they  told  him  that  they  had 
no  fears  of  that,  as  the  year  before,  at  the  city  of  Yedo, 
a common  soldier  had  knocked  down  an  American  com- 
mander, and  no  notice  had  been  taken  of  it.  McCoy  and 
the  others  strenuously  denied  having  ever  heard  this 


272 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


story  (evidently  referring  to  the  occurrence  described  in 
a preceding  page)  before  it  was  thus  mentioned  to  them 
by  the  Japanese. 

McDonald,  before  bis  release,  was  requested  by  the 
Japanese  to  describe  the  relative  rank  of  the  commander 
of  the  “ Preble,”  by  counting  down  in  the  order  of  succes- 
sion from  the  highest  chief  in  the  United  States.  Like 
a true  republican,  he  began  with  the  people ; but  the 
Japanese,  he  says,  could  make  nothing  of  that.  He  then 
enumerated  the  grades  of  president,  secretary  of  the 
navy,  commodore,  post  captain,  and  commander,  which 
latter  rank,  being  that  of  the  officer  in  question,  seemed 
so  elevated  as  rather  to  excite  the  surprise  of  his 
auditors. 

Five  weeks  after  the  departure  of  the  “ Preble,”  on  the 
29th  of  May,  Commander  Matheson,  in  the  British  sur- 
veying ship  “ Mariner,”  anchored  in  the  bay  of  Yedo,  off 
the  town  of  Uraga,  and  three  miles  higher  up,  according 
to  his  statement,  than  any  other  vessel  had  been  allowed 
to  proceed.  As  he  entered  the  bay,  lie  was  met  by  ten 
boats.  A paper  was  handed  up,  in  Dutch  and  French, 
requesting  him  not  to  anchor,  nor  cruise  in  the  bay ; but 
when  the  Japanese  found  he  was  determined  to  proceed, 
they  offered  to  tow  him.  During  the  night  he  was 
watched  by  boats  and  from  the  shore.  Having  a Japa- 
nese interpreter  on  board,  he  communicated  the  object 
of  his  visit,  and  sent  his  card  on  shore  to  the  governor 
of  the  town,  with  a note  in  Chinese,  proposing  to  wait 
upon  him ; to  which  the  governor  replied  that  it  was 
contrary  to  the  law  for  foreigners  to  land,  and  that  he 
should  lose  his  life  if  lie  allowed  Captain  Matheson  to 
come  on  shore,  or  to  proceed  any  higher  up  the  bay. 

The  survey  of  the  anchorage  having  been  completed, 


Scenes  in  Japanese  Cemeteries 


273 


EXCLUSIVE  POLICY  ADHERED  TO 

Matheson  proceeded,  on  the  31st,  to  the  bay  of  Slumoda, 
on  the  other  side  of  the  promontory  of  Izu,  where  he 
spent  five  days  in  surveying,  and  was  detained  two  days 
longer  by  the  weather.  After  the  second  day,  he  was 
visited  by  an  interpreter,  who  understood  Dutch,  and  by 
two  officers  from  Uraga,  apparently  spies  on  each  other, 
to  watch  his  proceedings ; and  finally  an  officer  of  rank, 
from  a town  thirteen  miles  off,  came  on  board.  There 
were  three  fishing  villages  at  the  anchorage,  and  he  landed 
for  a short  time,  but  the  Japanese  officers  followed,  beg- 
ging and  entreating  him  to  go  on  board  again.  The  ship 
w as  supplied  with  plenty  of  fish,  and  boats  were  furnished 
to  tow  her  out. 

In  1850,  the  Japanese  sent  to  Batavia,  in  the  annual 
Dutch  ship,  three  American  sailors  who  had  been  left  in 
1848  on  one  of  the  Kurile  Islands,  also  thirty-one  other 
sailors  belonging  to  the  English  whaling-ship  Edmund, 
of  Ilobertstown,  wrecked  on  the  coast  of  Yezo.  At  the 
same  time,  probably  in  consequence  of  the  numerous 
recent  visits  to  their  coasts,  the  Dutch  were  requested 
to  give  notice  to  other  nations,  that  although  it  had 
been  determined,  in  1842,  to  furnish  with  necessary  sujv 
plies  such  foreign  vessels  as  arrived  on  the  coast  in  dis- 
tiess,  this  was  not  to  be  understood  as  indicating  the 
least  change  as  to  the  policy  of  the  rigorous  exclusion  of 
foreigners.1 

1 See  also  “ America  in  the  East " (Griffis)  and  “ The  Intercourse 
between  the  United  States  and  Japan”  (Nitobe).  — Edr. 


VOL.  II.  — 18 


CHAPTER  XLV 


Foreign  Relations  — New  Shogun  — Dutch  Trade  — Chinese  Trade  — 
American  Embassy  — Its  Object  — Letter  to  the  Emperor  — Perry’s 
first  visit  to  the  Bay  of  Yedo — Death  of  the  Shogun  — Perry’s  second 
visit  to  the  Bay  of  Yedo  — Negotiation  of  a Treaty  — The  Treaty  as 
agreed  to  — Shimoda  — Hakodate  — Additional  Regulations  — Jap- 
anese Currency  — Burrow’s  visit  to  the  Bay  of  Yedo  — Third  visit  of 
the  American  Steamers  — Russian  and  English  Negotiations  — Ex- 
change of  Ratifications  — Earthquake. 

WE  have  seen  in  the  last  chapter  how  the  whale 
fishery,  on  the  one  hand,  and  the  opening  of 
China  to  foreign  trade,  on  the  other,  had  more 
and  more  drawn  attention  to  Japan  ; in  the  conduct  of 
whose  functionaries,  however,  no  indication  appeared  of 
any  disposition  to  abandon  their  ancient  exclusive  policy. 
It  has  even  been  asserted  1 that  a new  Shogun  [Iyeyoshi], 
who  had  succeeded  in  1837  (after  a fifty  years’  reign  on 
the  part  of  his  predecessor),  had  imposed  new  restric- 
tions on  foreign  products,  and,  by  special  encouragement 
to  home  productions  of  similar  kinds,  had  endeavored 
to  supersede  the  necessity  of  receiving  anything  from 
abroad.  It  is  certain  that  the  Dutch  trade  rather  dimin- 
ished than  increased.  The  amount  of  that  trade,  from 
1825  to  1833,  inclusive,  is  stated  by  Jancigny,  from  offi- 
cial returns,  or  those  reputed  to  be  such,  at  289,150 
florins  ($115,620)  for  importations,  and  702,675  florins 
($281,078)  for  exportations.  In  1846,  the  importations 

1 By  Siebold,  in  “ Moniteur  des  Indes,”  vol.  ii,  p.  34fi,  in  his  “ Essay 
on  the  Commerce  of  Japan.” 


DUTCH  AND  CHINESE  TRADE 


275 


reached  only  231,117  fr.  (§92,446),  and  the  exportations 
552,319  fr.  (§220,927)  ; and  those  of  the  preceding  year 
had  been  about  the  same.  The  private  trade,  and  the 
attempts  at  smuggling  connected  with  it,  were  very  nar- 
rowly watched.  Within  the  preceding  ten  years,  one 
interpreter  had  been  executed,  and  another  had  been 
driven  to  cut  himself  open,  in  consequence  of  complicity 
in  smuggling.  The  private  trade  had  been  farmed  out, 
for  the  benefit  of  those  interested  in  it,  at  30,000  fl. 
(§12,000)  annually,  — the  amount  at  which  Kiimpfer 
had  reckoned  the  profits  from  that  source  of  the  director 
alone.  Among  the  Dutch  imports  upon  government 
account,  woollens,  silks,  velvets,  cotton  goods,  gold, 
silver,  tin,  lead,  mercury,  and  a few  other  articles  are 
mentioned.  Sugar,  formerly  a leading  article,  no  longer 
appears  on  the  list.  The  returns  continued  to  be  exclu- 
sively in  camphor  and  copper,  the  latter  furnished  by 
the  Japanese  government  at  the  old  rates,  much  below 
the  current  price,  bj-  which  advantage  alone  was  the 
Dutch  trade  sustained.  Among  the  private  importa- 
tions were  spices,  chemicals,  and  a great  variety  of  Paris 
trinkets,  for  which  various  Japanese  manufactures  and 
products  were  taken  in  exchange. 

The  Chinese  trade  had  declined  not  less  than  that  of 
the  Dutch.  The  ten  junks  a year,  to  which  it  was  now 
restricted,  all  came  from  Sha-po  (not  far  from  Chusan), 
half  of  them  in  January  and  the  other  half  in  August  — 
their  cargoes,  which  include  a great  variety  of  articles, 
being  partly  furnished  by  private  merchants  who  come 
over  in  them,  but  chiefly  by  a commercial  company  at 
Sha-po,  for  whom  the  captains  of  the  junks  act  as  super- 
cargoes. Except  as  to  some  trifling  articles,  this  trade 
seems,  like  that  of  the  Dutch,  to  be  pretty  much  in  the 


276 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


hands  of  the  government,  who,  or  some  privileged  com- 
pany under  them,  purchase  the  imports  and  furnish  a 
return  cargo  to  each  junk,  two  fifths  in  copper  and  the 
remainder  in  other  articles.  The  Chinese,  however,  still 
continued  to  be  allowed  much  more  liberty  than  the 
Dutch  of  personal  intercourse  with  the  inhabitants  of 
Nagasaki. 

The  settlement  of  California,  the  new  trade  opened 
thence  with  China,  and  the  idea  of  steam  communica- 
tion across  the  Pacific,  for  which  the  coal  of  Japan  might 
be  needed,  combined  with  the  extension  of  the  whale 
fishery  in  the  Northern  Japanese  seas  to  increase  the 
desire  in  America  for  access  to  the  ports  of  Japan. 
Shortly  after  the  visit  of  the  “ Preble,”  the  American 
government  resolved  to  send  an  envoy  thither,  backed 
by  such  a naval  force  as  would  ensure  him  a respectful 
hearing  — the  cases  of  Biddle  and  Glyn  seeming  to 
prove  that  the  humoring  policy  could  not  be  relied  upon 
and  that  the  only  way  to  deal  successfully  with  the  Jap- 
anese was  to  show  a resolution  not  to  take  no  for  an 
answer. 

Accordingly,  Mr.  Webster,  as  Secretary  of  State,  pre- 
pared a letter  from  the  President  to  the  Emperor  of 
Japan;  also  a letter  of  instructions  to  the  American 
naval  commander  in  the  China  seas,  to  whom  it  was  re- 
solved to  entrust  the  duty  of  envoy,  and  whose  force 
was  to  be  strengthened  by  additional  ships.  The  sail- 
ing, however,  of  these  ships  was  delayed  till  after 
Mr.  Webster’s  death;  and  in  the  mean  time  Commodore 
Matthew  C.  Perry  was  selected  as  the  head  of  the  expedi- 
tion. A new  letter,1  dated  November  5, 1852,  addressed 

1 The  official  documents  relating  to  this  expedition  were  printed 
by  order  of  U.  S.  Senate,  odd  Cong.,  2d  Sess.  Ex.  Doc.  No.  34. 


COMMODORE  PERRY’S  EXPEDITION  277 

from  the  State  Department  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy, 
thus  defined  its  objects  : 

“ I-  To  effect  some  permanent  arrangement  for  the  pro- 
tection of  American  seamen  and  property  wrecked  on  these 
islands,  or  driven  into  their  ports  by  stress  of  weather. 

“ 2.  The  permission  to  American  vessels  to  enter  one 
or  more  of  their  ports,  in  order  to  obtain  supplies  of 
provisions,  water,  fuel,  &c. ; or,  in  case  of  disasters,  to 
refit  so  as  to  enable  them  to  prosecute  their  voyage.  It 
is  very  desirable  to  have  permission  to  establish  a ddpot 
for  coal,  if  not  on  one  of  the  principal  islands,  at  least 
on  some  small,  uninhabited  one,  of  which  it  is  said  there 
are  several  in  their  vicinity. 

“3.  The  permission  to  our  vessels  to  enter  one  or 
more  of  their  ports  for  the  purpose  of  disposing  of  their 
cargoes  by  sale  or  barter.” 

The  mission  was  to  be  of  a pacific  character,  as  the 
President  had  no  power  to  declare  war ; yet  the  show  of 
force  was  evidently  relied  upon  as  more  likely  than  any- 
thing else  to  weigh  with  the  Japanese.  The  Dutch  gov- 
ernment, it  was  stated,  had  instructed  their  agents  at 
Deshima  to  do  all  they  could  to  promote  the  success  of 
the  expedition.  Indeed,  if  we  may  believe  Jancigny,1 
who  speaks  from  information  obtained  during  a resi- 
dence at  Batavia  in  1844-45,  the  King  of  Holland  had, 
as  long  ago  as  that  time,  addressed  a letter  to  the  Em- 
peror of  Japan,  urging  him  to  abandon  the  policy  of 
exclusion.  1 he  letter  of  instructions  disavowed  any 
wish  to  obtain  exclusive  privileges ; but,  as  a matter  of 
policy,  nothing  was  to  be  said  about  other  nations. 

1 Japan,  p.  197.  Perry,  to  judge  by  his  letters  (Dec.  14,  1852, 
May  6,  1853),  did  not  place  much  reliance  on  the  aid  of  the  Dutch, 
the  British  Admiralty  showed  their  good  will  by  furnishing  the  latest 
charts  and  sailing  directions  for  the  Eastern  seas. 


278 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


A new  letter  to  the  Emperor  of  Japan  was  also  pre- 
pared in  the  following  terms  : 

“Millard  Fillmore,  President  of  the  United  States 
of  America,  to  iiis  Imperial  Majesty, 
the  Emperor  of  Japan. 

“Great  and  Good  Friend: 

“ I send  you  this  public  letter  by  Commodore  Mat- 
thew C.  Perry,  an  officer  of  the  highest  rank  in  the  navy 
of  the  United  States,  and  commander  of  the  squadron  now 
visiting  your  imperial  majesty’s  dominions. 

“ I have  directed  Commodore  Perry  to  assure  your  impe- 
rial majesty  that  I entertain  the  kindest  feelings  towards  your 
majesty’s  person  and  government,  and  that  I have  no  other 
object  in  sending  him  to  Japan  but  to  propose  to  your  impe- 
rial majesty  that  the  United  States  and  Japan  should  live  in 
friendship  and  have  commercial  intercourse  with  each  other. 

“The  constitution  and  laws  of  the  United  States  for- 
bid all  interference  with  the  religious  or  political  concerns 
of  other  nations.  I have  particularly  charged  Commodore 
Perry  to  abstain  from  every  act  which  could  possibly  disturb 
the  tranquillity  of  your  imperial  majesty’s  dominions. 

“The  United  States  of  America  reach  from  ocean  to 
ocean,  and  our  Territory  of  Oregon  and  State  of  Califor- 
nia lie  directly  opposite  to  the  dominions  of  your  imperial 
majesty.  Our  steamships  can  go  from  California  to  Japan 
in  eighteen  days. 

“ Our  great  state  of  California  produces  about  sixty 
millions  of  dollars  in  gold  every  year,  besides  silver,  quick- 
silver, precious  stones,  and  many  other  valuable  articles. 
Japan  is  also  a rich  and  fertile  country,  and  produces  many 
very  valuable  articles.  Your  imperial  majesty’s  subjects  are 
skilled  in  many  of  the  arts.  I am  desirous  that  our  two 
countries  should  trade  with  each  other,  for  the  beuefit  both 
of  Japan  and  the  United  States. 


LETTER  TO  THE  EMPEROR 


279 


“We  know  that  the  ancient  laws  of  your  imperial  maj- 
esty’s government  do  not  allow  of  foreign  trade  except  with 
the  Chinese  and  the  Dutch ; but,  as  the  state  of  the  world 
changes,  and  new  governments  are  formed,  it  seems  to  be 
wise,  from  time  to  time,  to  make  new  laws.  There  was  a 
time  when  the  ancient  laws  of  your  imperial  majesty’s 
government  were  first  made. 

“ About  the  same  time  America,  which  is  sometimes 
called  the  New  World,  was  first  discovered  and  settled  by 
the  Europeans.  For  a long  time  there  were  but  a few 
people,  and  they  were  poor.  They  have  now  become  quite 
numerous ; their  commerce  is  very  extensive ; and  they 
think  that  if  your  imperial  majesty  were  so  far  to  change 
the  ancient  laws  as  to  allow  a free  trade  between  the  two 
countries,  it  would  be  extremely  beneficial  to  both. 

“ If  your  imperial  majesty  is  not  satisfied  that  it  would 
be  safe  altogether  to  abrogate  the  ancient  laws,  which  forbid 
foreign  trade,  they  might  be  suspended  for  five  or  ten  years, 
so  as  to  try  the  experiment.  If  it  does  not  prove  as  bene- 
ficial as  was  hoped,  the  ancient  laws  can  be  restored.  The 
United  States  often  limit  their  treaties  with  foreign  states 
to  a few  years,  and  then  renew  them  or  not,  as  they  please. 

“I  have  directed  Commodore  Perry  to  mention  another 
thing  to  your  imperial  majesty.  Many  of  our  ships  pass 
every  year  from  California  to  China ; and  great  numbers 
of  our  people  pursue  the  whale  fishery  near  the  shores  of 
Japan.  It  sometimes  happens,  in  stormy  weather,  that  one 
of  our  ships  is  wrecked  on  your  imperial  majesty’s  shores. 
In  all  such  cases  we  ask,  and  expect,  that  our  unfortuuate 
people  should  be  treated  with  kindness,  and  that  their  prop- 
erty should  be  protected,  till  we  can  send  a vessel  and  bring 
them  away.  We  are  very  much  in  earnest  iu  this. 

“ Commodore  Perry  is  also  directed  by  me  to  represent 
to  your  imperial  majesty  that  we  understand  there  is  a great 
abundance  of  coal  and  provisions  in  the  empire  of  Japan. 


280 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


Our  steamships,  in  crossing  the  great  ocean,  burn  a great 
deal  of  coal,  and  it  is  not  convenient  to  bring  it  all  the  way 
from  America.  We  wish  that  our  steamships  and  other  ves- 
sels should  be  allowed  to  stop  at  Japan  and  supply  them- 
selves with  coal,  provisions,  and  water.  They  will  pay  for 
them  in  money,  or  anything  else  your  imperial  majesty’s 
subjects  may  prefer ; and  we  request  your  imperial  majest}' 
to  appoint  a convenient  port,  in  the  southern  part  of  the 
empire,  where  our  vessels  may  stop  for  this  purpose.  We 
are  very  desirous  of  this. 

“ These  are  the  only  objects  for  which  I have  sent  Com- 
modore Perry,  with  a powerful  squadron,  to  pay  a visit  to 
your  imperial  majesty’s  renowned  city  of  Yedo  : friendship, 
commerce,  a supply  of  coal  and  provisions,  and  protection 
for  our  shipwrecked  people. 

“We  have  directed  Commodore  Perry  to  beg  your  im- 
perial majesty’s  acceptance  of  a few  presents.  They  are 
of  no  great  value  in  themselves;  but  some  of  them  may 
serve  as  specimens  of  the  articles  manufactured  in  the 
United  States,  and  they  are  intended  as  tokens  of  out- 
sincere  and  respectful  friendship. 

“ May  the  Almighty  have  your  imperial  majesty  in  his 
great  and  holy  keeping! 

“In  witness  whereof,  I have  caused  the  great  seal  of  the 
United  States  to  be  hereunto  affixed,  and  have  subscribed 
the  same  with  my  name,  at  the  city  of  Washington,  in 
America,  the  seat  of  my  government,  on  the  thirteenth  day 
of  the  month  of  November,  in  the  year  one  thousand  eight 
hundred  and  fifty-two.  Your  good  friend. 

(Seal  attached.)  “ Millard  Fillmore. 

“ By  the  President  : 

Edward  Everett,  Secretary  of  State.”1 

1 As  some  persons  may  feel  a curiosity  to  see  Mr.  Webster’s  orig- 
inal letter,  and  as  it  is  not  to  be  found  in  the  edition  of  Mr.  Webster’s 
writings  edited  by  Mr.  Everett,  I have  copied  it  from  the  Senate  Doc- 


Players  at  the  Game  of 


281 


DEPARTURE  OF  THE  EXPEDITION 


Furnished  with  these  orders,  and  this  letter  splendidly 
engrossed  and  enclosed  in  a gold  box  of  the  value  of  a 
thousand  dollars,  and  provided  also  with  a variety  of 
presents,  Commodore  Perry,  towards  the  end  of  1852, 
sailed  fioin  the  United  States  in  the  steam-frigate  “ Mis- 
sissippi,”  and,  after  touching  at  Madeira  and  the  Cape  of 

uments,  18-31-1852,  vol.  ix.  The  expansion  given  to  it  in  the  letter 
actually  sent  was  not  according  to  Japanese  taste,  which  greatly  affects 
brevity. 


“ To  His  Imperial  Majesty  tiie  Emperor  of  Japan. 
“Great  and  Good  Friend: 

th.is  ,lett,er  by  an  envoy  of  my  own  appointment,  an 
officer  of  high  rank  in  this  country,  who  is  no  missionary  of  religion. 
He  goes  by  my  command  to  bear  to  you  my  greeting  and  good  wishes 
and  to  promote  friendship  and  commerce  between  the  two  countries 
to  s„  °!|kl!0I  t lat  th,e  Unlted  State®  of  A'nerica  now  extend  from  sea 
ur,’t  fs.f  grea1t  Voul'tnes  o£  Oregon  and  California  are  parts  of 
t le  mtcd  States,  and  that  from  these  countries  which  are  rich  in  gold 

vnnp8|.Ioo  ai"d  P-eC,10US  ftone8»  our  steamers  can  reach  the  shores  of 
your  liappj  land  m less  than  twenty  davs. 

Many  of  our  ships  will  now  pass  in  every  rear,  and  some  perhaps 

LU?theWcneast  oeftWeeD  Call£ornia  an'1  Chi,,a:  These  ships  must  pass 
along  the  coast  of  your  empire  ; storms  and  winds  may  cause  them  to 

ie  wrecked  on  your  shores,  and  we  ask  and  expect  from  your  friendship 
ertv " ° W grea,tnoSS’  k,n,Jness  for  l)ur  men  and  protection  for  our  i.rop- 
ne  fnle  PeoPle  ma?  be  Permitted  to  trade  with  Vour 

empire’  b * W6  Sba  1 DOt  autl,onze  them  to  break  any  laws  of  your 

Our  object  is  friendly  commercial  intercourse,  and  nothing  more 
,,  °u  nave  many  productions  wliicli  we  should  be  glad  to  buy:  and  we 
have  productions  which  might  suit  your  people. 

which 0nnrej?pirei.}?a8  “ great  abimdance  of  coal;  this  is  an  article 
„ , •tean.ships  in  going  from  California  to  China,  must  use. 

to  which  coal*8.  ?l!h[  t,a‘a  harbor  ,n  -vour  empire  should  be  appointed 
to  pirchase  it.  gh  **  broUght’  and  where  they  might  always  be  able 

countrvnwm.H°hier  ’■espeets,  commerce  between  your  empire  and  our 
t..r  ct  ' -°U  f be  u?e£u  t0  both.  Let  us  consider  well  what  new  in- 

cmfntri  fr°m  *he8et  reccnt  events  which  have  brought  our  two 
and  intercm, neartoSether,  an,t  what  purposes  of  friendship,  amity, 
a intercourse,  they  ought  to  inspire  in  the  breasts  of  those  who 
govern  both  countries.  Farewell. 

“ Given  under  my  hand  and  seal  at  the  city  of  Washington,  the  10th 

(l  s 1 g‘-v"  of  j a-y’  18ol>  a"d  of  independence  of  the  United 

lL-  s ) otates  the  seventy-fifth. 

“By  the  President:  “M.  Fillmore. 

D.  \\  ebster,  Secretary  of  State." 


282 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


Good  Hope,  arrived  at  Hong  Kong  in  April,  1853,  whence 
lie  proceeded  to  Shanghai.  The  dispersion  of  the  vessels 
of  the  squadron,  delay  in  the  arrival  of  others  from  the 
United  States,  difficulty  in  obtaining  coal,  and  the  claim 
of  the  American  merchants  in  China,  in  consideration  of 
existing  civil  commotions,  to  the  protecting  presence 
of  a naval  force,  caused  some  delays.  But,  at  length, 
after  touching  at  Lew  Chew  [Riukiu],  and  making  a 
visit  to  the  Bonin  Islands,1  Perrjq  with  the  steam-frigate 
“ Susquehanna,”  now  the  flag-ship,  the  “Mississippi,”  and 
the  sloops-of-war  “ Plymouth  ” and  “ Saratoga,”  made 
Cape  Izu  about  daybreak  on  the  8th  of  July.  Many  ru- 
mors had  been  current  on  the  coast  of  China  of  extensive 
warlike  preparations  by  the  Japanese,  aided  by  the  Dutch, 
and  the  squadron  was  fully  prepared  for  a hostile  recep- 
tion. Perry  had  made  up  his  mind,  instead  of  attempt- 
ing to  conciliate  by  yielding,  to  stand  upon  his  dignity 
to  the  utmost,  to  allow  no  petty  annoyances,  and  to 

1 These  islands  lie  between  26°  30'  and  27°  45'  north  latitude,  about 
five  hundred  miles  west  of  Lew  Chew  and  the  same  distance  south  of 
Yedo,  on  the  direct  route  from  the  Sandwich  Islands  to  Shanghai,  three 
thousand  three  hundred  miles  from  the  former,  and  about  one  thou- 
sand one  hundred  from  the  latter.  They  consist  of  three  groups.  The 
largest  island  is  about  forty  miles  in  circumference.  There  are  nine 
others,  diminishing  down  to  five  or  six  miles  of  circumference,  and 
about  seventy  rocky  islets,  all  evidently  of  volcanic  origin.  The  ex- 
tent of  the  whole  is  about  two  hundred  and  fifty  square  miles.  The 
name  is  Japanese,  and  signifies  “ uninhabited,”  descriptive  of  the  state 
in  which  they  were  found  when  discovered  by  a Japanese  vessel  in 
1675;  and,  except  some  ineffectual  attempts  at  penal  colonization  by 
the  Japanese,  so  they  remained  till  occupied,  in  1830,  by  a colony  from 
the  Sandwich  Islands,  partly  Americans  and  Europeans,  and  partly 
Sandwich  Islanders.  They  had  been  visited  and  claimed  for  the  British 
crown  in  1827,  by  Captain  Beechey,  in  the  surveying  ship  “ Blossom.” 
The  larger  ones  are  fertile  and  well  watered,  but  scantily  wooded. 
The  largest,  called  Peel’s  Islands  by  Beechey,  has  a good  harbor,  and 
here  Perry  bought  a piece  of  land  from  a squatter  for  a coal  depot. 


PERRY’S  FIRST  VISIT 


283 


demand  as  a right,  instead  of  soliciting  as  a favor,  the 
courtesies  due  from  one  civilized  nation  to  another. 

The  promontory  constituting  the  province  of  Izu  ap- 
peared, as  the  vessels  ran  along  it,  to  be  a group  of  high 
mountains,  their  summits  scarred  with  slides,  and  their 
sides  mostly  wooded,  though  here  and  there  a cultivated 
spot  could  be  seen.  By  noon  the  ships  reached  Cape 
Sagami,  which  separates  the  inner  from  the  outer  hay  of 
Yedo.  The  shores  of  this  point  rose  in  abrupt  bluffs 
two  hundred  feet  high,  with  green  dells  running  down 
to  the  waterside.  Further  off  were  groves  and  cultivated 
fields,  and  mountains  in  the  distance. 

Leaving  behind  some  twelve  or  fifteen  Japanese  boats, 
which  put  off  from  Cape  Sagami  to  intercept  them,  the 
vessels  stood  up  through  the  narrowest  part  of  the  bay, 
not  more  than  five  to  eight  miles  wide,  but  expanding 
afterwards  to  fifteen  miles,  having  now  also  in  sight  the 
eastern  shore,  forming  a part  of  the  province  of  Awa.1 

Within  half  an  hour  after  passing  Cape  Sagami,  they 
made  another  bold  promontory  from  the  west,  forming  a 
second  entrance  to  the  upper  bay.  In  the  bight  formed 
by  it  lay  the  town  of  Uraga,  visible  from  the  ships, 
which,  sounding  their  way,  anchored  within  a mile  and 
a half  of  the  promontory,  — a mile  or  more  in  ad- 
vance of  the  anchorage  ground  of  the  “ Columbus  ” and 
“ Vincennes.” 

As  the  ships  dropped  their  anchors  two  or  three  guns 
or  mortars  were  fired  from  the  second  promontory,  and 
four  or  five  boats  put  off.  They  were  of  unpainted 
wood,  very  sharp,  their  greatest  breadth  well  towards 
the  stern,  and  propelled  with  great  rapidity  by  tall, 

1 There  is  another  province  of  the  same  name  in  the  island  of  Shi- 
koku. That  above-mentioned  is  otherwise  called  BOshu. 


284 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


athletic  rowers,  naked,  save  a cloth  about  the  loins,  who 
shouted  lustily  as  they  pulled.  In  the  stern  of  each 
boat  was  a small  flag,  with  three  horizontal  stripes,  the 
middle  one  black,  the  others  white,  and  about  it  were 
four  or  five  well-dressed  men  with  two  swords  in  their 
girdles. 

Some  parley  took  place  before  anybody  was  admitted 
on  board,  that  favor  being  refused  except  to  the  person 
highest  in  authority  in  the  town.  The  conversation  was 
carried  on  in  Dutch,  which  the  Japanese  interpreter 
spoke  very  well ; and,  from  what  he  said,  it  was  evi- 
dent that  the  vessels  had  been  expected.  After  a long 
parley,  in  which  the  high  rank  of  the  commodore,  and 
the  necessity  of  his  being  met  by  persons  of  correspond- 
ing rank,  were  very  much  insisted  upon,  an  officer,  rep- 
resenting himself  as  second  in  command  at  the  town  in 
sight,  was  admitted  on  board.  The  commodore,  how- 
ever, declined  to  see  him  in  person,  and  turned  him  over 
to  Mr.  Contee,  the  flag  lieutenant,  who,  assisted  by  the 
two  interpreters  — one  for  Dutch,  the  other  for  Chinese  1 
— had  a long  interview  with  him  and  his  interpreter  in 
the  cabin.  He  was  told  that  the  object  of  the  expedition 
was  to  deliver  a letter  from  the  President  of  the  United 
States  to  the  Emperor,  and  that  some  high  officer  must 
be  sent  on  board  to  receive  it ; also,  that  the  squadron 
would  not  submit  to  be  watched  and  guarded,  after  the 
Japanese  fashion,  but  that  all  the  guard-boats  must 
withdraw.  The  officer,  as  usual,  was  very  inquisitive. 
He  wanted  to  know  whether  the  vessels  came  from 

1 The  squadron  had  as  Chinese  interpreter  Mr.  S.  “W.  “Williams,  an 
American,  long  resident  at  Macao,  one  of  the  editors  of  the  “ Chinese 
Repository,”  and  one  of  the  party  of  the  “ Morrison,”  to  carry  back  the 
shipwrecked  Japanese,  from  whom  he  had  obtained  some  knowledge 
of  that  language. 


PERRY’S  FIRST  VISIT 


285 


Boston,  New  York,  or  Washington,  how  many  men 
they  had,  etc.,  etc. ; but  these  questions  he  was  given 
to  understand  were  regarded  as  impertinent. 

Seeing  the  determination  evinced,  the  Japanese  officer, 
by  name  Nakaskima  Saburosuke , Yoriki  of  the  governor 
of  Uraga,  returned  on  shore,  taking  back  his  official 
notifications  in  French,  Dutch,  and  English,  addressed  to 
ships  arriving  on  the  coast  (like  those  given  p.  267), 
which  the  lieutenant  refused  to  receive.  He  was  fol- 
lowed by  the  boats,  which,  after  that,  kept  at  a respect- 
ful distance.  He  came  back  in  about  an  hour  to  excuse 
his  superior  from  receiving  the  letter  addressed  to  the 
emperor.  He  spoke  of  Nagasaki  as  the  proper  place  for 
foreign  ships  to  touch  at,  and  doubted  if  the  letter  would 
be  answered ; but  all  this  was  cut  short  by  the  assurance 
that  if  his  superior  did  not  send  for  the  letter,  the  ships 
would  proceed  still  higher  up  the  bay  to  deliver  it  them- 
selves ; upon  which  information,  much  agitated,  he  stip- 
ulated for  permission  to  return  in  the  morning.  As  lie 
departed,  looking  at  the  long  gun  in  the  cabin,  he  ex- 
claimed, with  an  interrogative  look,  “ Paixhan  ? ” show- 
ing that  the  Japanese  were  not  ignorant  of  the  modern 
improvements  in  gunnery  any  more  than  of  American 
geography. 

It  was  noticed  that,  towards  night,  the  boatmen  put 
on  their  Japanese  gowns,  most  of  them  blue,  with  white 
stripes  on  the  sleeves,  meeting  angular-wise  on  the 
shoulders,  and  with  a symbol  or  badge  on  the  back. 
Others  wore  gowns  of  red  and  white  stripes,  with  a 
black  lozenge  upon  the  back.  A few  had  broad  bamboo 
hats,  like  a shallow  basin  inverted;  but  most  of  them 
were  bareheaded.  The  officers  wore  light  and  beauti- 
fully lackered  hats,  with  a gilded  symbol  in  front. 


286 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


Daring  the  night  watch-fires  blazed  along  the  coast, 
and  bells  were  heard  sounding  the  hours.  The  next 
morning  (Saturday),  Koyama  Yezaimon , first  in  com- 
mand at  the  town,  came  on  board,  and  made  another 
attempt  to  beg  off  from  receiving  the  letter  to  the  em- 
peror. Finally,  he  proposed  to  send  to  Yedo  for  permis- 
sion, and  was  allowed  three  days  to  do  it  in. 

Meanwhile  surveying  parties  from  the  ships  ran  up 
the  bay  a distance  of  four  miles,  finding  everywhere 
from  thirty  to  forty  fathoms  of  water.  They  sounded 
round  the  bight  within  which  the  ships  lay,  keeping 
about  a cable’s  length  from  the  shore,  and  finding  five 
fathoms.  Yezaimon  represented  that  this  survey  was 
against  the  Japanese  laws,  but  was  told  that,  if  forbid- 
den by  the  laws  of  Japan  it  was  commanded  by  the 
laws  of  America.  On  approaching  the  forts,  of  which 
there  were  five,  two  apparently  of  recent  construction, 
the  soldiers,  armed  with  matchlocks,  came  out ; but,  as 
the  boats  drew  near,  they  retired  again.  These  forts 
were  very  feeble,  mounting  only  fourteen  guns  in  the 
whole,  none  larger  than  nine-pounders.  Of  soldiers, 
about  four  hundred  were  seen,  many  of  them  armed 
with  spears.  There  was  also,  as  usual,  a great  show  of 
canvas  screens ; but,  on  the  whole,  the  warlike  means  of 
the  Japanese  seemed  contemptible.  From  the  town  to 
the  end  of  the  promontory,  a distance  of  a mile  and  a 
half,  was  an  unbroken  line  of  villages.  At  least  a hun- 
dred small  craft  lay  in  the  harbor.  The  hills  behind, 
some  five  hundred  feet  high,  were  dotted  with  pines  and 
other  trees.  In  the  morning  and  evening,  when  the  air 
was  clear,  Mount  Fuji  might  be  seen  in  the  west,  sixty 
miles  distant.  The  presence  of  the  American  ships  did 
not  seem  to  disturb  the  coasting  trade.  Sixty  or  sev- 


THE  BAY  OF  YEDO 


287 


enty  large  junks,  besides  hundreds  of  boats  and  fishing- 
smacks,  daily  passed  up  and  down  the  bay,  to  and  from 
Yedo. 

On  Monday,  the  1 1th,  the  same  surveying  party  pro- 
ceeded up  the  bay  some  ten  miles,  followed  by  the 
“Mississippi.”  They  were  constantly  met  by  govern- 
ment boats,  the  officers  on  board  which  urged  them 
by  signs  to  return,  but  of  which  they  took  no  notice. 
Deep  soundings  were  everywhere  obtained,  with  a bot- 
tom of  soft  mud.  A deep  bay  was  found  on  the  western 
shore,  with  good  and  safe  anchoring  ground. 

In  the  evening  Yezaimon  returned  on  board,  well 
pleased,  apparently,  to  be  able  to  give  information  of 
the  probability  of  good  news  from  Yedo,  but  rather 
troubled  at  the  explorations  by  the  boats.  The  flag 
lieutenant,  with  whom  he  had  his  interviews,  describes 
him  as  “ a gentleman,  clever,  polished,  well-informed, 
a fine,  large  man,  about  thirty-four,  of  most  excellent 
countenance,  taking  his  wine  freely,  and  a boon 
companion.” 

The  next  day  (the  12th)  he  brought  information  that 
the  emperor  would  send  down  a high  officer  to  receive 
the  letter.  No  answer  would  be  given  immediately,  but 
one  would  be  forwarded  through  the  Dutch  or  Chinese. 
This  latter  proposition  the  commodore  treated  as  an  in- 
sult. As,  however,  if  he  waited  for  an  answer,  excuses 
might  easily  be  found  for  protracting  his  stay  in  an  in- 
convenient manner,  and  at  List  wearying  him  out,  lie 
agreed  to  allow  time  for  its  preparation,  and  to  return 
to  receive  it.  The  following  Thursday  (the  14th)  was 
appointed  for  the  interview  with  the  commissioners  ap- 
pointed to  receive  the  letter,  which  was  to  take  place 
two  miles  south  of  the  town,  at  a picturesque  spot,  on 


288 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


the  left  side  of  a narrow  valley,  extending  inland  from 
the  head  of  the  bight.  Its  retired  situation,  and  the 
facility  it  afforded  for  the  display  of  a military  force, 
were  probably  the  motives  of  its  selection. 

At  the  hour  appointed  for  the  meeting,  as  the  two 
steamers  approached  the  spot,  long  lines  of  canvas  walls 
were  seen  stretching,  crescent-wise,  quite  round  the  head 
of  the  bight,  and  in  front  files  of  soldiers  with  a multi- 
tude of  brilliant  banners.  Near  the  centre  of  the  cres- 
cent were  nine  tall  standards,  with  broad  scarlet  pennons, 
in  the  rear  of  which  could  be  seen  the  roof  of  the  house 
prepared  for  the  interview.  On  the  right,  a line  of  fifty 
or  sixty  boats  was  drawn  up,  parallel  to  the  beach,  each 
witli  a red  flag  at  its  stern. 

The  foremost  files  of  the  Japanese  soldiers  stood  about 
a hundred  yards  from  the  beach,  in  somewhat  loose  and 
straggling  order.  The  greater  part  were  behind  the  can- 
vas screens.  There  were  a number  of  horses  to  be  seen, 
and  in  the  background  a body  of  cavalry.  The  .Japanese 
stated  the  number  of  troops  at  five  thousand.  On  the 
slope  of  the  hill,  near  the  village,  was  collected  a crowTd 
of  spectators,  of  whom  many  were  women. 

As  soon  as  the  steamers  dropped  their  anchors,  they 
were  approached  by  two  boats,  containing  then’  former 
visitors,  the  first  and  second  officers  of  the  town,  with 
the  interpreters,  very  richly  dressed  in  silk  brocade,  bor- 
dered with  velvet,  and  having  on  their  garments  of  cere- 
mony. The  steamers  lay  with  their  broadsides  to  the 
shore,  ready  for  action  in  case  of  treachery.  Fifteen 
launches  and  cutters  were  got  ready,  from  which  three 
hundred  and  twenty  persons,  officers,  seamen,  marines, 
and  musicians,  were  landed  on  an  extemporaneous  jetty 
which  the  Japanese  had  formed  of  bags  of  sand.  Last 


Theatrical  Representations : The  “No”  Dance;  Chrysanthemum  Figures 


RECEPTION  AT  URAGA 


289 


of  all  the  commodore  landed  with  due  formality,  when 
the  whole  body,  preceded  by  the  Japanese  officers  and 
interpreters,  marched  to  the  house  of  reception,  carrying 
with  them  the  president’s  letter,  the  box  which  held  it 
wrapped  in  scarlet  cloth,  as  was  also  that  containing  the 
letter  of  credence.  In  front  of  the  houses  prepared  for 
the  interview  were  two  old  brass  four-pounders,  appar- 
ently Spanish,  and  on  each  side  a company  of  soldiers, 
those  on  one  side  armed  with  matchlocks,  those  on  the 
other  witli  old  Tower  muskets,  witli  flint  locks  and  bay- 
onets. The  reception  building  was  a temporary  struc- 
ture, evidently  put  up  for  the  occasion.  The  first 
apartment,  about  forty  feet  square,  was  of  canvas.  The 
floor  was  covered  with  white  cotton  cloth,  with  a path- 
way of  red  felt  leading  across  to  a raised  inner  apart- 
ment, wholly  carpeted  with  the  same  red  felt.  This 
apartment,  of  which  the  front  was  entirely  open,  was 
hung  with  fine  cloth,  stamped  with  the  imperial  symbols 
in  white  on  a ground  of  violet.  On  the  right  was  a 
row  of  arm-chairs  for  the  commodore  and  his  staff.  On 
the  opposite  side  sat  the  two  commissioners  appointed 
to  receive  the  letters,  and  who  were  announced  by  the 
interpreters  as  the  princes  of  Izu  and  Iwami  [Toda 
Izu-no-kami,  and  Ido  Iwami-no-kami,  Bugios  of  Uraga], 
The  former  was  a man  about  fifty,  with  a very  pleasing 
and  intelligent  face.  The  latter  was  older  by  fifteen 
years  or  so,  wrinkled  with  age,  and  of  looks  much  less 
prepossessing.  Both  were  splendidly  dressed,  in  heavy 
robes  of  silk  tissue,  elaborately  ornamented  with  threads 
of  gold  and  silver.  As  the  commodore  entered,  both 
rose  and  bowed  gravely,  but  immediately  resumed  their 
seats  and  remained  silent  and  passive  as  statues. 

At  the  end  of  the  room  was  a large  scarlet-lackered 

VOL.  II.  — 19 


290 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


box,  standing  on  gilded  feet,  beside  ■which  Yczaimon  and 
one  of  the  interpreters  knelt,  at  the  same  time  signifying 
that  all  things  were  ready  for  the  reception  of  the  letters. 
They  were  brought  in,  and  the  boxes  containing  them 
being  opened  so  as  to  display  the  writing  and  the  golden 
seals,  they  were  placed  upon  the  scarlet  box,  and  along 
with  them  translations  in  Dutch  and  Chinese,  as  well 
as  an  English  transcript.  The  prince  of  Iwami  then 
handed  to  the  interpreters,  who  gave  it  to  the  com- 
modore, an  official  receipt  in  Japanese,  to  which  the 
interpreter  added  a Dutch  translation,  which  translated 
literally  into  English  was  as  follows: 

“The  letter  of  the  President  of  the  United  States  of  North 
America,  and  copy,  are  hereby  received  and  delivered  to  the 
emperor.  Many  times  it  has  been  communicated  that  busi- 
ness relating  to  foreign  countries  cannot  be  transacted  here 
in  Uraga,  but  in  Nagasaki.  Now,  it  has  been  observed  that 
the  admiral,  in  his  quality  of  ambassador  of  the  president, 
would  be  insulted  by  it;  the  justice  of  this  has  been  acknowl- 
edged ; consequently  the  above-mentioned  letter  is  hereby 
received,  in  opposition  to  the  Japanese  law. 

“ Because  the  place  is  not  designed  to  treat  of  anything 
from  foreigners,  so  neither  can  conference  nor  entertainment 
take  place.  The  letter  being  received,  you  will  leave  here.” 

The  commodore  remarked,  when  this  receipt  was 
delivered  to  him,  that  he  should  return  again,  probably 
in  April  or  May,  for  an  answer.  “ With  all  the  ships  ? ” 
asked  the  interpreter.  “ Yes,  and  probably  with  more,” 
was  the  reply.  Nothing  more  was  said  on  either  side. 
As  the  commodore  departed,  the  commissioners  rose  and 
remained  standing,  and  so  the  interview  ended,  without 
a single  word  uttered  on  their  part. 


SURVEYING  OPERATIONS 


291 


The  Japanese  officers  of  the  town,  with  the  Japanese 
interpreters,  accompanied  the  American  party  back  to 
the  “ Susquehanna,”  whose  machinery  they  examined 
with  much  interest.  When  off  the  town,  they  were  set 
ashore ; but  the  steamers,  to  show  how  lightly  the  in- 
junction to  leave  was  regarded,  proceeded  up  the  bay, 
and  anchored  a short  distance  above  the  point  reached 
by  the  “ Mississippi.”  In  spite  of  the  solicitude  of  the 
Japanese  officers,  who  came  again  on  board,  the  whole 
bight  between  the  promontory  of  Uraga  and  another 
north  of  it  was  carefully  surveyed.  At  the  head  a river 
was  found.  The  shores  were  studded  with  villages, 
whose  inhabitants  offered  to  the  surveying  party  cold 
water,  and  peaches  from  their  gardens.  To  the  place 
where  the  steamers  lay  the  name  was  given  of  “ Ameri- 
can anchorage.” 

The  next  day  (Friday,  the  15th)  the  “Mississippi  ” 
proceeded  on  an  excursion  ten  miles  further  up,  and 
reached,  as  was  supposed,  within  eight  or  ten  miles  of 
the  capital.  On  the  western  shore  were  seen  two  large 
towns.  On  the  extremity  of  a cape  in  front,  some  four 
miles  distant,  stood  a tall  white  tower,  like  a light- 
house. Three  or  four  miles  beyond  was  a crowd  of 
shipping,  supposed  to  be  the  anchorage  of  Shinagawa, 
the  southern  suburb  of  Yedo.  At  the  point  where  the 
steamer  put  about,  she  had  twenty  fathoms  of  water. 
On  Saturday,  the  16th,  the  vessels  moved  to  a new 
anchorage,  five  or  six  miles  down  the  bay,  and  much 
nearer  the  shore,  and  here  the  surveying  operations 
were  renewed.  The  same  day  an  interchange  of  pres- 
ents took  place  with  Yezaimon,  who,  however,  was 
induced  to  accept  those  offered  to  him  only  by  the  posi- 
tive refusal  of  his  own,  except  on  that  condition. 


292 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


Thus  pressed,  he  finally  took  them,  except  some  arms 
— articles,  he  said,  which  the  Japanese  neither  gave 
nor  received.  In  the  afternoon  he  came  again,  in  excel- 
lent humor,  his  conduct  probably  having  been  approved 
on  shore,  bringing  a quantity  of  fowls,  in  light  wicker 
coops,  and  three  or  four  thousand  eggs,  in  boxes,  for 
which  a box  of  garden-seeds  was  accepted  in  return. 

The  next  day,  17th,  and  the  tenth  since  their  arrival, 
the  vessels  weighed  and  stood  for  Lew  Chew,  the  bay 
being  covered  with  boats,  to  witness  their  departure.1 

Commodore  Perry  spent  the  remainder  of  the  year  on 
the  coast  of  China,  keeping  one  vessel,  however,  at 
Lew  Chew,  and  prosecuting  the  survey  of  the  Bonin 
Islands.  Shortly  after  his  visit,  the  Shogun  died,  and 
an  attempt  was  made  to  take  advantage  of  that  circum- 
stance to  delay  or  prevent  the  return  of  the  American 
ships.  A communication,  forwarded  to  Batavia  by  the 
Dutch  ship  that  left  Nagasaki  in  November,  and  com- 
municated by  the  Dutch  governor-general  at  Batavia  to 
the  commodore,  represented  that  the  necessary  mourning 
for  the  deceased  sovereign,  and  other  arrangements  con- 
sequent on  his  death,  as  well  as  the  necessity  of  consult- 
ing all  the  princes,  must  necessarily  delay  the  answer 
to  the  president’s  letter,  and  suggested  the  danger  of 
confusion,  or  “broil,”  should  the  squadron  come  back 
at  so  unseasonable  a moment. 

Undeterred,  however,  by  this  representation,  on  the 
12tli  of  February,  1854,  Commodore  Perry  reappeared 
in  the  bay  of  Yedo,  with  three  steam  frigates,  four 
sloops-of-war,  and  two  store-ships,  and  the  steamers 

1 The  account  of  this  visit  is  drawn  partly  from  Commodore  Perry’s 
official  reports,  and  partly  from  the  letters  of  Lieutenant  Contee  and 
others,  published  in  the  newspapers. 


PERRY'S  SECOND  VISIT 


293 


taking  the  sailing  vessels  in  tow,  they  all  moved  up  to 
the  American  anchorage. 

About  two  weeks  were  spent  here  in  fixing  upon  a 
place  to  negotiate,  the  Japanese  importuning  the  com- 
modore to  go  back  to  Kamakura,  twenty  miles  below 
Uraga,  or,  at  least,  to  the  latter  place,  while  he  insisted 
upon  going  to  Yedo.  As  he  declined  to  yield,  and 
caused  the  channel  to  be  sounded  out  within  four  miles 
of  Yedo,  they  proposed,  as  the  place  of  meeting,  the  vil- 
lage of  Yokohama,1  containing  about  ten  thousand  people, 
and  situated  on  the  shore,  just  opposite  the  anchorage  of 
the  ships.  To  this  the  commodore  agreed,  and  the  ships 
drew  in  and  moored  in  line,  with  broadsides  bearing 
upon  the  shore,  and  covering  an  extent  of  five  miles. 

“ On  the  8th  of  March,”  says  a letter  dated  on  board  the 
“Vandalia,”  and  published  in  the  New  York  “Journal 
of  Commerce,”  “the  day  appointed  for  the  first  meeting, 
about  nine  hundred  officers,  seamen,  and  marines,  armed 
to  the  teeth,  landed,  and,  with  drums  beating  and  colors 
flying,  were  drawn  up  on  the  beach,  ready  to  receive 
the  commodore.  As  soon  as  he  stepped  on  shore  the 
bands  struck  up,  salutes  were  fired,  the  marines  pre- 
sented arms,  and,  followed  by  a long  escort  of  officers, 
he  marched  up  between  the  lines  and  entered  the  house 
erected  by  tbe  Japanese  expressly  for  the  occasion. 
Thousands  of  Japanese  soldiers  crowded  the  shore  and 
the  neighboring  elevations,  looking  on  with  a good  deal 
of  curiosity  and  interest.  The  house  was  nothing  but 
a plain  frame  building,  hastily  put  up,  containing  one 
large  room  — the  audience  hall  — and  several  smaller, 
for  the  convenience  of  attendants,  etc.  The  floor  was 
covered  with  mats,  and  very  pretty  painted  screens 

1 Mistake  for  Kanagawa.  — Edb. 


294 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


adorned  the  sides.  Long  tables  and  benches,  covered 
with  red  woollen  stuff,  placed  parallel  to  each  other, 
three  handsome  braziers,  filled  with  burning  charcoal, 
on  the  floor  between  them,  and  a few  violet-colored 
crape  hangings  suspended  from  the  ceiling,  completed 
the  furniture  of  the  room.  As  we  entered,  we  took  our 
seats  at  one  of  the  tables.  The  Japanese  commissioners 
soon  came  in,  and  placed  themselves  opposite  to  us,  at 
the  other  table;  while  behind  us  both,  seated  on  the 
floor  on  their  knees  1 (their  usual  position,  for  they  do 
not  use  chairs),  was  a crowd  of  Japanese  officers,  form- 
ing the  train  of  the  commissioners. 

“ The  business  was  carried  on  in  the  Dutch  language, 
through  interpreters,  of  whom  they  have  several  who 
speak  very  well,  and  two  or  three  who  speak  a little 
English.  They  were  on  their  knees,  between  the  com- 
missioners and  the  commodore.  Our  interpreter  was 
seated  by  the  side  of  the  latter.  It  was  curious  to  see 
the  intolerable  ceremony  observed  by  them,  quite  hu- 
miliating to  a democratic  republican.  A question  pro- 
posed had  to  pass  first  through  the  interpreters,  and 
then  through  several  officers  ascending  in  rank,  before 
it  could  reach  the  commissioners,  every  one  bowing  his 
forehead  to  the  floor  before  he  addressed  his  superior. 
Refreshments  were  served  in  elegantly  lackered  dishes ; 
first  of  all,  tea,  which,  as  in  China,  is  the  constant  bev- 
erage; then  different  kinds  of  candy  and  sponge  cake 
(they  are  excellent  confectioners,  and  very  fond  of 
sugar) ; lastly,  oranges  and  a palatable  liquor  distilled 
from  rice,  called  sake.  A flimsy  banquet  like  this  was 
not  very  agreeable  to  such  hungry  individuals  as  we, 
and  we  were  the  more  disappointed,  for,  the  Japanese 

1 Rather  on  their  heels. 


NEGOTIATION  OF  THE  TREATY 


295 


using  only  chopsticks,  we  had,  previously  to  coming 
ashore,  taken  the  precaution,  as  we  shrewdly  thought, 
to  provide  ourselves  with  knives  and  forks.  Imagine, 
then,  our  chagrin  when  finding  nothing  substantial 
upon  which  to  employ  them.  What  was  left  on  our 
plates  was  wrapped  in  paper,  and  given  to  us  to  carry 
away,  according  to  the  usual  custom  in  Japan. 

“The  commissioners  were  intelligent-looking  men, 
richly  dressed  in  gay  silk  petticoat  pantaloons,  and 
upper  garments  resembling  in  shape  ladies’  short 
gowns.  Dark-colored  stockings,  and  two  elegant 
swords  pushed  through  a twisted  silk  girdle,  finished 
the  costume.  Straw  sandals  are  worn,  but  are  always 
slipped  off  upon  entering  a house.  They  do  not  cover 
the  head,  the  top  and  front  part  of  which  is  shaved,  and 
the  back  and  side  hair,  being  brought  up,  is  tied  so  as 
to  form  a tail,  three  or  four  inches  long,  that  extends 
forward  upon  the  bald  pate,  terminating  about  half  way 
between  the  apex  and  the  forehead.  It  is  a very  com- 
fortable fashion,  and,  were  it  not  for  the  quantity  of 
grease  used  in  dressing  it,  would  be  a very  cleanly  one. 

“Two  audiences  a week  were  held,  at  which  the  same 
programme  was  performed  as  related  above,  except  that 
we  fared  more  luxuriously.1  Becoming  better  ac- 
quainted with  our  taste,  they  feasted  us  with  a broth 
made  of  fish,  boiled  shrimps,  hard-boiled  eggs,  and  very 
good  raw  oysters.  At  one  of  the  interviews  (March 
13),  the  presents  from  our  government  were  delivered. 
They  consisted  of  cloths,  agricultural  implements, 
fire-arms,  etc.,  and  a beautiful  locomotive,  tender,  and 
passenger-car,  one-fourth  the  ordinary  size,  which  we 

1 Tlie  number  of  American  officers  present  at  these  interviews  was 
from  twenty  to  fifty. 


296 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


put  in  motion  on  a circular  track,  at  tlie  rate  of  twenty 
miles  an  hour.  A mile  of  magnetic  telegraph  was  also 
erected  on  shore,  and  put  in  operation.  The  Japanese 
were  more  interested  in  it  than  anything  else,  but  never 
manifested  any  wonder.  So  capable  are  they  of  con- 
cealing and  controlling  their  feelings,  that  they  would 
examine  the  guns,  machinery,  etc.,  of  the  steamers, 
without  expressing  the  slightest  astonishment.  They 
are  a much  finer-looking  race  than  the  Chinese  — in- 
telligent, polite,  and  hospitable,  hut  proud,  licentious, 
unforgiving,  and  revengeful.” 

The  death  of  a marine  afforded  an  opportunity,  at  the 
first  meeting  with  the  commissioners,  of  demanding  a 
burying-place.  It  was  proposed  to  send  the  body  to 
Nagasaki;  but,  as  the  commodore  would  not  listen  to 
that,  a spot  was  assigned  near  one  of  their  temples,  and 
in  view  of  the  ships,  where  the  body  was  buried,  with 
all  the  forms  of  the  English  church  service,  after  which 
the  Japanese  surrounded  the  grave  with  a neat  enclos- 
ure of  bamboo. 

A formal  letter  of  reply  to  the  propositions  contained 
in  the  letters  delivered  at  the  former  visit,  repeated  the 
story  of  a change  of  succession,  and  the  necessity  of 
delays.  The  justice,  however,  of  the  demands  in  rela- 
tion to  shipwrecked  seamen,  wood,  water,  provisions, 
and  coal,  was  conceded ; hut  five  years  were  asked  be- 
fore opening  a new  harbor,  the  Americans,  in  the  mean 
time,  to  resort  to  Nagasaki. 

Of  Nagasaki,  however,  the  commodore  would  not 
hear,  nor  of  any  restrictions  like  those  imposed  on  the 
Dutch  and  Chinese  at  that  port.  He  demanded  three 
harbors,  one  in  Nippon,  one  in  Yezo,  and  a third  in 
Lew  Chew.  As  to  the  two  last,  the  Japanese  pleaded 


THE  TREATY  CONCLUDED 


297 


that  they  were  very  distant  countries,  and  only  partially 
subject  to  the  emperor,  especially  the  last,  upon  which 
the  commodore  did  not  insist.  In  Nippon  he  asked  for 
Uraga,  and  for  Matsumae  in  Yezo,  but  acceded  to  the 
Japanese  offer  of  Shimoda  and  Hakodate,  having  first 
sent  a ship  to  examine  the  former. 

The  commissioners  were  exceedingly  tenacious,  even 
upon  points  of  phraseology,  but  gave  evidence  of  acting 
in  entire  good  faith,  and  the  commodore  conceded 
everything  which  did  not  seem  absolutely  essential. 
The  extent  of  the  liberty  to  be  allowed  to  American 
visitors  was  one  of  the  greatest  difficulties. 

Shortly  before  the  treaty  was  concluded,  the  commo- 
dore gave  an  entertainment  on  board  the  “ Powhatan  ” to 
the  Japanese  officials,  about  seventy  in  all.  In  con- 
formity to  their  customs,  two  tables  were  spread,  one 
in  the  cabin  for  the  commissioners  and  the  captains 
of  the  fleet,  another  on  deck  for  the  inferior  officers. 
“They  did  full  justice,”  says  the  letter-writer  already 
quoted,  “ to  American  cookery,  and  were  exceedingly 
fond  of  champagne,  under  the  influence  of  which  they 
became  so  very  merry  and  familiar  that  one  of  them 
vigorously  embraced  the  commodore,  who,  until  his 
epaulets  began  to  suffer  in  the  struggle,  was  very  good- 
naturedly  disposed  to  endure  it.” 

Three  copies  of  the  treaty,  in  Japanese,  signed  by 
the  commissioners,  were  delivered  to  the  commodore, 
for  which  he  exchanged  three  copies  in  English,  signed 
by  himself,  with  Dutch  and  Chinese  translations.  This 
method  was  adopted  to  satisfy  the  commissioners,  who 
alleged  that  no  Japanese  could  lawfully  put  his  name 
to  any  document  written  in  a foreign  language.  The 
treaty  was  as  follows: 


298 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


“The  United  States  of  America  and  the  Empire  of  Japan, 
desiring  to  establish,  firm,  lasting,  and  sincere  friendship 
between  the  two  nations,  have  resolved  to  fix,  in  a manner 
clear  and  positive,  by  means  of  a treaty  or  general  conven- 
tion of  peace  and  amity,  the  rules  which  shall  in  future  be 
mutually  observed  in  the  intercourse  of  their  respective 
countries  ; for  which  most  desirable  object,  the  President  of 
the  United  States  has  conferred  full  powers  on  his  commis- 
sioner, Matthew  Calbraith  Perry,  special  Ambassador  of  the 
United  States  to  Japan;  and  the  august  Sovereign  of  Japan 
has  given  similar  full  powers  to  his  commissioners,  Hayaslii- 
Daigaku-no-kami,  Ido,  prince  of  Tsushima,  Izawa,  prince 
of  Mimasaki,  and  Udono  Mimbushoyu,  member  of  the  Board 
of  Revenue. 

“And  the  said  commissioners,  after  having  exchanged 
their  said  full  powers,  and  duly  considered  the  premises, 
have  agreed  to  the  following  articles  : 

“ Article  I.  — There  shall  be  a perfect,  permanent,  and 
universal  peace,  and  a sincere  and  cordial  amity,  between 
the  United  States  of  America  ou  the  one  part,  and  between 
their  people,  respectfully  (respectively),  without  exception  of 
persons  or  places. 

“ Article  II.  — The  port  of  Shimoda,  in  the  principality  of 
Izu,  and  the  port  of  Hakodate,  in  the  principality  of  Matsu- 
mae,  are  granted  by  the  Japanese  as  ports  for  the  reception 
of  American  ships,  where  they  can  be  supplied  with  wood, 
water,  provisions,  and  coal,  and  other  articles  their  necessi- 
ties may  require,  as  far  as  Japanese  have  them.  The  time 
for  opening  the  first-named  port  is  immediately  ou  signing 
this  treaty  ; the  last-named  port  is  to  be  opened  immediately 
after  the  same  day  in  the  ensuing  Japanese  year. 

“ Note.  — A tariff  of  prices  shall  be  given  by  the  Japanese 
ollicers  of  the  things  which  they  can  furnish,  payment  for 
which  shall  be  made  in  gold  and  silver  coin, 


THE  TREATY 


299 


“ Article  III.  — Whenever  ships  of  the  United  States  are 
thrown  or  wrecked  on  the  coast  of  Japan,  the  Japanese 
vessels  will  assist  them,  and  carry  their  crews  to  Shimoda  or 
Hakodate,  and  hand  them  over  to  their  countrymen  appointed 
to  receive  them.  Whatever  articles  the  shipwrecked  men 
may  have  preserved  shall  likewise  be  restored : and  the 
expenses  incurred  in  the  rescue  and  support  of  Americans 
and  Japanese  who  may  thus  be  thrown  upon  the  shores  of 
either  nation  are  not  to  be  refunded. 

“Article  IV. — Those  shipwrecked  persons,  and  other 
citizens  of  the  United  States,  shall  be  free  as  in  other 
countries,  and  not  subjected  to  confinement,  but  shall  be 
amenable  to  just  laws. 

“ Article  V.  — Shipwrecked  men,  and  other  citizens  of  the 
United  States,  temporarily  living  at  Shimoda  and  Hakodate, 
shall  not  be  subject  to  such  restrictions  and  confinement  as 
the  Dutch  and  Chinese  are  at  Nagasaki;  but  shall  be  free  at 
Shimoda  to  go  where  they  please  within  the  limits  of  seven 
Japanese  miles  (or  ri)  from  a small  island  in  the  harbor  of 
Shimoda,  marked  on  the  accompanying  chart,  hereto  ap- 
pended ; and  shall,  in  like  manner,  be  free  to  go  where  they 
please  at  Hakodate,  within  limits  to  be  defined  after  the  visit 
of  the  United  States  squadron  to  that  place. 

“ Article  VI.  — If  there  be  any  other  sort  of  goods  wanted, 
or  any  business  which  shall  require  to  be  arranged,  there  shall 
be  careful  deliberation  between  the  parties  in  order  to  settle 
such  matters. 

“Article  VII. — It  is  agreed  that  ships  of  the  United 
States  resorting  to  the  ports  open  to  them,  shall  be  permitted 
to  exchange  gold  and  silver  coin,  and  articles  of  goods,  for 
other  articles  of  goods  under  such  regulations  as  shall  be 
temporarily  established  by  the  Japanese  government  for  that 
purpose.  It  is  stipulated,  however,  that  the  ships  of  the 
United  States  shall  be  permitted  to  carry  away  whatever 
articles  they  are  unwilling  to  exchange. 


300 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


Article  VIII.  — Wood,  water,  provisions,  coal,  and  goods 
required,  shall  only  be  procured  through  the  agency  of 
Japanese  ollicers  appointed  for  that  purpose,  and  in  no 
other  manner. 

“Article  IX.  — It  is  agreed,  that  if.  at  any  future  day, 
the  government  of  Japanese  shall  grant  to  any  other  nation 
or  nations  privileges  and  advantages  which  are  not  herein 
granted  to  the  United  States  and  the  citizens  thereof,  that 
these  same  privileges  and  advantages  shall  be  granted  like- 
wise to  the  United  States  and  to  the  citizens  thereof  w'ithout 
any  consultation  or  delay. 

“Article  X.  — Ships  of  the  United  States  shall  be  per- 
mitted to  resort  to  no  other  ports  in  Japan  but  Shimoda  and 
Hakodate,  unless  in  distress  or  forced  by  stress  of  weather. 

“Article  XI.  — There  shall  be  appointed  by  the  govern- 
ment of  the  United  States  consuls  or  agents  to  reside  in 
Shimoda,  at  any  time  after  the  expiration  of  eighteen  months 
from  the  date  of  the  signing  of  this  treaty  ; provided  that 
either  of  the  two  governments  deem  such  arrangement 
necessary. 

“Article  XII.  — The  present  convention,  having  been 
concluded,  and  duly  signed  shall  be  obligatory,  and  faithfully 
observed  by  the  United  States  of  America  and  Japan,  and 
by  the  citizens  and  subjects  of  each  respective  power  ; and  it 
is  to  be  ratified  and  approved  by  the  President  of  the  United 
States,  by  and  with  the  advice  and  consent  of  the  Senate 
thereof,  and  by  the  august  Sovereign  of  Japan,  and  the 
ratification  shall  be  exchanged  within  eighteen  months  from 
the  date  of  the  signature  thereof,  or  sooner  if  practicable. 

“In  faith  whereof,  we,  the  respective  plenipotentiaries  of 
the  United  States  of  America  and  the  empire  of  Japan, 
aforesaid,  have  signed  and  sealed  these  presents. 

“ Done  at  Kauagawa  1 this  thirty-first  day  of  March,  in  the 

1 The  treaty  is  dated  at  Kanagawa,  probably  because  it  was  the 
nearest  town.  See  Kampfer’s  mention  of  it,  p.  74.  Mr.  Bidinger, 


THE  FLEET  SAILS  FOR  SHIMODA 


301 


year  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  one  thousand  eight  huudred 
aud  fifty-four,  and  of  Kayei  the  seventh  year,  third  month, 
and  third  day.” 

The  day  after  the  signing  of  the  treaty"  a number  of 
presents  were  sent  on  board  for  the  president,  the  com- 
modore, and  other  officers  of  the  squadron. 

In  agreeing  to  negotiate  at  Yokohama,  Commodore 
Perry  had  stated  his  intention  to  carry  the  ships,  at 
some  future  time,  close  up  to  Yedo,  and  to  anchor 
them  there,  “as  well  to  do  honor  to  his  imperial  maj- 
esty by  salutes  as  to  be  in  full  view  of  the  palace, 
and  convenient  to  be  visited  by  sucb  of  the  court  as 
may  desire  to  examine  the  steamers.”  Accordingly, 
on  the  8th  of  April,  to  the  great  distress  of  the  Jap- 
anese officials,  he  got  under  way ; but,  as  the  Japanese 
interpreters  threatened  to  cut  themselves  open  if  he 
proceeded,  he  presently  turned  about  and  took  a lower 
anchorage  down  the  bay.  The  published  official  letters 
of  the  commander  say  nothing  of  this  movement;  the 
letters  from  the  fleet,  published  in  the  newspapers,  do 
not  agree  as  to  how  far  up  the  commodore  went.  Ac- 
cording to  one  letter,  Yedo  was  full  in  sight. 

On  the  18th  of  April  the  fleet  sailed  for  Shimoda, 
one  of  the  ports  granted  in  the  treaty,  of  which  a letter 
dated  on  board  the  “Powhatan,”  and  published  in  the 
New  York  “Tribune,”  gives  this  account: 

Shimoda  is  situated  near  Cape  Fogu  [?],  sixty  miles 
west  from  Point  Sagami,  at  the  entrance  of  the  bay  of 
Yedo.  It  is  a good,  commodious  harbor,  well  sheltered 
by  hills  several  hundred  feet  high,  with  a rock  within 

chaplain  of  the  squadron,  in  one  of  his  excursions  on  shore,  managed 
to  reach  and  pass  through  it.  He  found  it  a large  town. 


302 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


the  entrance  which  affords  a still  more  protected  anchor- 
age. The  town,  of  about  one  thousand  houses,  is  situ- 
ated at  the  northwestern  end  of  the  harbor,  on  the  banks 
of  a small  stream  flowing  down  through  a fertile  valley, 
which  is  often  not  more  than  half  a mile  wide,  hut 
sometimes  widens  to  one  and  a half  miles.  Several 
little  brooks  offer  good  watering-places  for  the  ships. 
The  larger  Japanese  junks  mostly  anchor  at  Kakizaki, 
a village  of  about  three  hundred  houses,  on  the  north- 
eastern end  and  opposite  Shimoda.  There  are  eight 
temples,  some  of  which  are  very  large,  in  the  town, 
and  little  chapels  ( miya ) on  almost  every  eminence, 
and  by  the  roadsides. 

“The  country  is  exceedingly  picturesque,  and  re- 
sembles very  much  the  lower  ranges  of  the  Alps. 
Along  the  little  river  of  Shimoda  are  many  villages, 
and  numbers  of  rice-mills  stamp  and  grind  along  its 
banks.  About  six  miles  above  the  bay  this  river  sepa- 
rates into  several  branches.  Following  either  of  them, 
you  pass  through  numerous  gorges  and  glens,  and  finally 
reach  the  barren  tops  of  mountains,  some  three  thou- 
sand feet  high.  Their  summits  and  the  narrow  table- 
lands are  covered  with  bushy  grass,  among  which  a 
certain  beny,  upon  which  pheasants  and  partridges 
feed,  grows  very  plentifully. 

“In  one  of  the  larger  temples  a place  has  been  ar- 
ranged for  the  daguerreotype,  and  Mr.  Brown  is  actively 
at  work.  He  has  obtained  many  very  fine  daguerreo- 
types of  the  Japanese,  and  will  have  a fine  collection  to 
show  when  he  reaches  home.  Mr.  Heine  continues  his 
sketching,  drawing,  painting,  gunning,  skinning,  press- 
ing, and  preserving  plants.  Lieutenants  Murray,  Bent, 
Whiting,  Nicholson,  etc.,  etc.,  have  been  busily  en- 


SHIMODA  AND  ITS  VICINITY 


303 


gaged  in  the  survey,  and  deserve  no  small  credit  for 
their  exertions  and  the  important  results  they  have 
obtained.” 

Of  this  visit  to  Shimoda,  the  officer  of  the  “ Vandalia  ” 
already  quoted  thus  speaks: 

“ Here  we  were  permitted  to  go  on  shore  and  ramble 
about  in  a circuit  for  ten  miles,  much  to  our  delight  as 
we  all  felt  the  want  of  exercise.  Excepting  at  Yoko- 
hama, where  we  were  not  allowed  to  go  far  from  the 
audience  house,  we  had  not  been  on  shore  since  we  left 
Lew  Chew.  They  watched  us  very  closely  at  first, 
sending  guards  of  soldiers  to  accompany  us,  shutting 
the  shops,  and  concealing  the  women ; but  in  a few 
days  these  restrictions  were  removed,  and  we  were 
left  undisturbed  to  wander  where  we  pleased.  The 
town,  containing  eight  thousand  people,  is  pleasantly 
situated  in  a well-cultivated  valley,  surrounded  by  high 
hills  that  conceal  from  view  the  entrance  to  its  safe  and 
picturesque  harbor.  The  streets  are  wide  and  straight, 
and  the  better  class  of  houses  two  stories  high,  plastered, 
and  roofed  with  elegant  tiles.1  The  interior  is  kept 
very  clean  and  neat,  and  the  rooms,  covered  with  mats, 
are  separated  from  each  other  by  sliding  screens,  that 
are  closed  or  removed  at  pleasure.  There  are  no  chim- 
neys in  Japan.  A charcoal  fire  is  built  in  a little  sand- 
pit in  the  middle  of  the  floor,  around  which  the  family 
are  usually  found  seated  on  their  knees  (qu.  heels?), 
drinking  tea  and  smoking  their  pipes.  Not  a chair  or 
any  other  piece  of  furniture  can  be  seen.  'Tubs  of  water 
are  kept  in  front  of  each  house,  as  well  as  on  the  roofs, 
in  readiness  against  any  fire,  for  conflagrations  are  so 

1 See,  as  to  the  roofs  in  Hakodate,  p.  .‘106,  and  employ  these  two 
passages  to  reconcile  the  discrepancy  noticed  in  vol.  i,  p.  892,  note. 


304 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


frequent  and  extensive  that  whole  towns  are  sometimes 
burnt  down. 

“ The  temples,  chiefly  Buddhist,  are  beautifully  situ- 
ated in  the  suburbs.  The  entrance  to  them  leads  gen- 
erally through  rows  of  elegant  trees  and  wild  camellias. 
They  are  large,  plain  structures,  with  high,  peaked 
roofs,  resembling  the  houses  pictured  on  Chinese  por- 
celain. In  the  space  immediately  in  front  is  a large 
bell  for  summoning  the  faithful,  a stone  reservoir  of 
holy  water,  and  several  roughly  hewn  stone  idols.  The 
doorway  is  ornamented  with  curious-looking  dragons 
and  other  animals,  carved  in  wood.  Upon  entering, 
there  is  nothing  special  about  the  buildings  worth 
noting,  the  naked  sides  and  exposed  rafters  having 
a gloomy  appearance.  The  altar  is  the  only  object 
that  attracts  attention.  It  so  much  resembles  the 
Roman  Catholic,  that  I need  not  describe  it.  Some 
of  the  idols  on  these  altars  are  so  similar  to  those  I 
have  seen  in  the  churches  in  Italy,  that  if  they  were 
mutually  translated  I doubt  whether  either  set  of  wor- 
shippers would  discover  the  change.  The  priests  count 
beads,  shave  their  heads,  and  wear  analogous  robes, 
and  the  service  is  attended  by  the  ringing  of  bells,  the 
lighting  of  candles,  and  the  burning  of  incense.  In 
fact,  except  that  the  cross  is  nowhere  to  be  seen,  one 
could  easily  imagine  himself  within  a Roman  Catholic 
place  of  worship. 

“ I saw  some  very  pretty  girls  here.  They  under- 
stand the  art  of  applying  rouge  and  pearl  powder, 
as  well  as  some  of  our  ladies  at  home.  The  married 
women  have  a horrid  and  disgusting  fashion  of  staining 
their  teeth  black.” 

After  remaining  three  weeks  at  Shimoda,  which  soon 


Commodore  Perry 


HAKODATE 


305 


after  was  made  an  imperial  city,  the  sailing-vessels  de- 
parted for  Hakodate,  followed  a few  days  after  by  the 
steamers.  Of  the  island  of  Oshima,  near  the  entrance  of 
the  hay  of  Yedo,  and  close  to  which  the  “Powhatan 
passed,  the  “ Tribune  ” correspondent  gives  the  following 
description: 

“ About  noon  we  were  within  three  miles  of  the  island 
of  Oshima,  and  had  a fine  opportunity  of  observing  the 
traces  of  volcanic  action  which  it  presents.  The  whole 
island  is  one  immense  volcano,  the  top  of  which  has 
fallen  in  and  formed  a great  basin,  which  incessantly 
belches  forth  white  smoke  and  ashes.  The  edges  of 
the  crater  are  black,  as  if  charred  by  fire,  and  on  the 
southwestern  side  of  the  island  a stream  of  lava  reaches 
from  the  summit  to  the  sea.  Some  large  crevices  con- 
tinue still  smoking,  and  others  are  filled  with  ashes. 
A bluff  near  the  sea,  about  two  hundred  feet  high, 
appears  to  be  of  recent  formation,  for  the  bushes  and 
trees  along  the  edges  of  the  lava  have  a yellow,  burnt 
appearance.  The  slopes  of  the  mountain  are  covered 
with  luxuriant  vegetation;  and  there  are  two  towns,  one 
on  a narrow  table-land,  and  the  other  on  the  top  of  a 
steep  cliff,  near  a suspicious-looking  crater.  There  is 
said  to  be  a third  village  on  the  northwestern  side  of 
the  island.”1 

Of  Hakodate,  in  the  island  of  Matsumae,  already 
known  to  us  by  Golownin’s  description,  which  the 
squadron  visited  in  the  month  of  May,  the  same  letter 
affords  the  following  account: 

“Hakodate  is  another  Gibraltar.  It  has  the  same 
long,  low  isthmus,  ending  in  the  same  mighty  rock, 

1 There  is  a volcanic  island  similar  to  this,  oil  the  south  coast  of 
Satsuma,  and  another  near  Ilirado. 
vol.  ix.  — 20 


300 


JAFAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


with  another  city  sitting  at  its  feet.  The  bay  is  seven 
or  eight  miles  wide,  with  an  entrance  of  two  or  three 
miles  in  width ; it  is  deep  enough  for  ships-of-the-line 
to  approach  within  a mile  of  the  shore,  and  its  clayey 
bottom,  free  from  rocks  or  shoals,  affords  excellent 
anchorage,  while  it  is  defended  from  the  sea  by  a 
sand-bank,  a prolongation  of  the  isthmus.  Behind  the 
bay  the  land  is  quite  level,  but  at  the  distance  of  six 
or  eight  miles  it  rises  into  a range  of  hills  from  one  to 
three  thousand  feet  high.  These  hills,  still  covered 
with  snow,  send  down  several  streams  to  the  bay, 
furnishing  the  best  of  water  for  ships.  The  plain  is 
finely  cultivated,  and  fishing  villages  line  the  shore. 
We  took  fish  plentifully, — one  day  twenty  buckets, 
with  more  than  twenty  fine  salmon,  some  weighing 
fifteen  pounds. 

“The  city  has,  I should  guess,  about  four  thousand 
houses,  and  perhaps  five  times  as  many  inhabitants. 
The  two  main  streets  are  parallel,  and  run  along  the 
foot  of  the  mountain.  Narrower  streets  run  from  the 
wharves  up  the  mountain,  crossing  both  the  principal 
streets,  one  of  which  is  about  thirty  feet  higher  than 
the  other.  The  lower  of  these  is  almost  as  broad  as 
Broadway,  and  infinitely  cleaner.  The  houses  on  it 
are  well  built;  most  of  them  have  two  stories,  with 
shops  on  the  ground  floor.  The  manner  of  building 
reminds  one  very  strongly  of  Switzerland.  A flat, 
projecting  roof  is  covered  with  shingles,  which  are 
fastened  by  long  poles,  with  stones  laid  upon  them; 
broad  galleries  run  quite  around  the  upper  story; 
before  the  door  is  a little  wooden  porch;  this,  too, 
with  projecting  gable,  which,  as  well  as  the  pillars 
that  support  it,  are  often  adorned  with  rich  carving. 


ADDITIONAL  REGULATIONS 


307 


The  temples,  one  of  which  is  at  least  two  hundred 
and  fifty  feet  square,  are  profusely  ornamented  with 
carvings.  Dragons,  hoi'ses,  bulls,  and  hares  figure 
largely,  but  tortoises  and  cranes  carry  the  day.” 

From  Hakodate,  where  the  intercourse  with  the  local 
officials  was  entirely  satisfactory,  the  ships  returned  to 
Shimoda,  where,  according  to  an  appointment  previ- 
ously made,  the  commodore  met  the  four  commis- 
sioners, and  three  new  ones,  with  whom  he  proceeded 
to  negotiate  the  following  Additional  Regulations : 

“Article  I. — The  imperial  governors  of  Shimoda  will 
place  watch-stations  wherever  they  deem  best,  to  designate 
the  limits  of  their  jurisdiction ; but  Americans  are  at  liberty 
to  go  through  them,  unrestricted,  within  the  limits  of  seven 
Japanese  ri,  or  miles  (equal  to  sixteen  English  miles) ; and 
those  who  are  found  transgressing  Japanese  laws  may  be 
apprehended  by  the  police  and  taken  on  board  their  ships. 

“Article  II. — Three  landing-places  shall  be  constructed 
for  the  boats  of  merchant  ships  and  whale  ships  resorting  to 
this  port;  one  at  Shimoda,  one  at  Kakizaki,  and  the  third  at 
the  brook  lying  south-east  of  Centre  Island.  The  citizens 
of  the  United  States  will,  of  course,  treat  the  Japanese 
officers  with  proper  respect. 

“Article  III. — Americans,  when  on  shore,  are  not  al- 
lowed access  to  military  establishments,  or  private  houses, 
without  leave;  but  they  can  enter  shops  and  visit  temples 
as  they  please. 

“Article  IV. — Two  temples,  the  Ryosen-ji,  at  Shimoda, 
and  the  Gyokusen-ji  at  Kakizaki,  are  assigned  as  resting- 
places  for  persons  in  their  walks,  until  public  houses  and 
inns  are  erected  for  their  convenience. 

“ Article  V.  — Near  the  Temple  Gyokusen,  at  Kakizaki, 
a burial-ground  has  been  set  apart  for  Americans,  where 
their  graves  and  tombs  shall  not  be  molested. 


808 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


“Article  VI. — It  is  stipulated  in  the  treaty  of  Kana- 
gawa,  that  coal  will  be  furnished  at  Hakodate ; but  as  it  is 
very  difficult  for  the  Japanese  to  supply  it  at  that  port, 
Commodore  Perry  promises  to  mention  this  to  his  govern- 
ment, in  order  that  the  Japanese  government  may  be  re- 
lieved from  the  obligation  of  making  that  port  a coal  depdt. 

“ Article  VII.  — It  is  agreed  that  henceforth  the  Chinese 
language  shall  not  be  employed  in  official  communications 
between  the  two  governments,  except  when  there  is  no  Dutch 
interpreter. 

“Article  VIII. — A harbor-master  and  three  skilful 
pilots  have  been  appointed  for  the  port  of  Shimoda. 

“Article  IX. — Whenever  goods  are  selected  in  the 
shops,  they  shall  be  marked  with  the  name  of  the  purchaser 
and  the  price  agreed  upon,  and  then  be  sent  to  the  Goyosho, 
or  government  office,  where  the  money  is  to  be  paid  to  Japa- 
nese officers,  and  the  articles  delivered  by  them. 

“Article  X.  — The  shooting  of  birds  and  animals  is 
generally  forbidden  in  Japan,  and  this  law  is  therefore  to 
be  observed  by  all  Americans. 

“Article  XI.  — It  is  hereby  agreed  that  five  Japanese 
ri,  or  miles,  be  the  limit  allowed  to  Americans  at  Hakodate, 
and  the  requirements  contained  in  Article  I.  of  these  Regu- 
lations are  hereby  made  also  applicable  to  that  port  within 
that  distance. 

“Article  XII.  — His  Majesty  the  Emperor  of  Japan  is 
at  liberty  to  appoint  whoever  he  pleases  to  receive  the  rati- 
fication of  the  treaty  of  Kanagawa,  and  give  an  acknowledg- 
ment on  his  part. 

“It  is  agreed  that  nothing  herein  contained  shall  in 
any  way  affect  or  modify  the  stipulations  of  the  treaty  of 
Kanagawa,  should  that  be  found  to  be  contrary  to  these 
regulations.” 

Another  important  matter,  in  which  the  Japanese 
seem  entirely  to  have  carried  the  day,  was  the  settle- 


MONETARY  SYSTEM 


309 


ment  of  the  value  of  the  American  coins  to  be  received 
in  payment  for  goods  and  supplies  — a subject  referred 
to  a commission  composed  of  two  United  States  pursers 
and  nine  Japanese. 

The  Japanese  circulating  medium  was  found  to  con- 
sist of  old  kas,  round,  with  a square  hole  in  the  middle, 
like  the  Chinese  cash,  but  thinner,  and  containing  more 
iron ; of  four-kas  pieces,  in  weight  equal  to  less  than 
two  of  the  others,  probably,  Kampfer’s  double  zeni; 
but  principally  of  a new  coin  rated  at  one  hundred 
kas,  — apparently  a substitute  for  the  strings  of  kas 
mentioned  by  Kampfer  and  others.  These  are  oval- 
shaped pieces  of  copper,  about  the  size  and  shape  of 
a longitudinal  section  of  an  egg,  introduced  within  a 
recent  period,  and  weighing  only  as  much  as  seven 
of  the  old  kas  (or,  compared  with  our  cents,  a little 
less  than  two  of  them).  Tins  over-valuation  has,  of 
course,  driven  the  old  kas  out  of  circulation,  and  made 
this  depreciated  coin  the  integer  of  the  currency.  At 
the  same  time,  it  has  raised  the  nominal  value  of  every- 
thing, as  is  evident  in  the  case  of  silver  and  gold.  In- 
stead of  one  thousand  kas  to  the  tael  of  silver,  the  rate 
in  former  times,  the  government,  which  appears  to  have 
the  monopoly  of  the  mines,  sells  silver  bullion  for  manu- 
facturing use  at  two  thousand  two  hundred  and  fifty  kas 
for  the  tael,  — a rate  fixed  probably  under  some  less  de- 
preciated state  of  the  currency.  But  when  coined,  a 
tael’s  weight  of  silver  is  reckoned  in  currency  at  six 
thousand  four  hundred  kas,  that  is,  at  six  tael  and  four 
mas,  or  precisely  the  valuation,  in  Kampfer’s  time,  of 
the  gold  koban ; and  as  the  ichibu  of  his  day,  that  is, 
one  fourth  part , as  the  word  signifies  in  Japanese,  rep- 
resented sixteen  hundred  kas  in  real  weight  of  silver, 


310 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


so  the  ichibu  of  the  present  day,  of  which  there  is  both 
a silver  and  a gold  one,  represents  sixteen  hundred  kas 
of  currency.  The  bullion  price  of  gold  in  Japan  is 
only  eight  and  a half  times  that  of  silver  instead  of 
sixteen  times,  as  with  us ; while  in  currency  the  differ- 
ence in  value  is  only  about  as  one  to  three  and  a half, 
the  price  in  silver,  or  copper  hundred-kas  pieces,  of  a 
tael’s  weight  of  gold  bullion  being  nineteen  taels,  and 
the  same  when  coined  passing  as  twenty-three  taels, 
seven  mas  and  five  kanderin.  Besides  the  gold  ichibu, 
the  Japanese  are  represented  as  having  three  other  gold 
coins,  thin,  oval  pieces,  of  the  currency  value  respec- 
tively of  one,  ten,  and  twenty  taels;1  also  a coin,  made 
of  gold  and  silver,  worth  half  an  ichibu,  or  eight  hun- 
dred-kas pieces,  and  a small  silver  piece,  worth  a quarter 
of  an  ichibu,  or  four  hundred-kas  pieces. 

1 It  is  said  that  these  coins  are  called  koban,  but  that  ancient  name 
can  hardly  be  applied  at  the  same  time  to  three  coins,  of  such  different 
values.  The  old  koban  of  Kampfer  would  be  worth  at  present  rates 
about  eleven  taels  ; the  new  koban  of  1708  not  quite  six  taels.  For  the 
above  account  of  the  Japanese  coins  and  monetary  system,  on  which 
subject  the  official  report  of  the  two  American  commissioners  is  rather 
blind,  I have  been  much  indebted  to  an  elaborate  paper  on  the  trade 
to  Japan,  written  by  S.  Wells  Williams,  the  Chinese  interpreter  to  the 
embassy,  and  originally  published  in  the  “ N.  Y.  Times.”  No  person 
in  the  fleet  was  so  well  prepared  by  previous  studies  and  the  experi- 
ence of  a long  residence  in  China  and  familiarity  with  Chinese  litera- 
ture to  make  intelligent  observations  in  Japan.  Japan  has,  like 
Europe,  its  numismatology.  Jancigny  mentions  a Japanese  treatise 
on  this  subject,  published  at  Yedo  in  1822,  in  seven  volumes,  which 
describes  five  hundred  and  fifty  coins,  with  colored  prints  (the  color 
being  given  in  the  impression)  of  most  of  them.  The  Japanese  coins 
are  not  struck,  but  cast  in  a mould.  They  are,  however,  exceedingly 
well  finished,  and  the  impression  sharp.  Siebold  speaks  of  halfs, 
quarters,  and  sixteenths  of  a koban  in  gold  ; and  of  eighths  and  six- 
teenths of  a koban  in  silver;  and,  according  to  his  account,  there  are 
in  some  provinces  zeni,  and  eighths  of  a koban  in  paper  notes.  This 
practice  might  have  been  borrowed  from  the  Chinese  — paper  money 
being  one  of  the  numerous  inventions  in  which  they  anticipated  us  of 
the  West.  [See  also  “The  Coins  of  Japan”  (Munro).  — Edr.] 


BATES  OF  PILOTAGE 


311 


The  Japanese  commissioners  insisted  that  our  coin 
was  but  bullion  to  them,  the  effect  of  which  is  to  put 
our  silver  dollar,  so  far  as  payments  in  Japan  are  con- 
cerned, precisely  on  a level  with  their  silver  icliibu, 
which  weighs  only  one  third  as  much.  Our  gold  coins, 
compared  with  their  gold  coins,  stand  better,  the  rela- 
tive weight  of  our  gold  dollar  and  their  gold  ichibu 
being  as  G5.33  to  52.25;  but  as  the  copper  liundred-kas 
piece  is  their  standard,  and  as  its  value  in  relation  to 
gold  is  rated  so  much  higher  than  with  us,  our  gold 
dollar,  estimated  in  this  way,  becomes  worth  only  eight 
hundred  and  thirty-six  kas,  or  little  more  than  eight 
and  a third  hundred-kas  pieces,  or  not  much  more  than 
half  an  ichibu;  the  effect  of  all  which  is  to  give  the 
Japanese  government,  through  whose  hands  all  pay- 
ments are  made,  a profit,  after  recoinage,  of  sixty-six 
per  cent,  upon  all  payments  in  American  coin.  As 
the  Japanese  commissioners  would  not  depart  from  this 
scheme,  the  commission  dissolved  without  coming  to 
any  agreement  on  this  point.  But  the  supplies  fur- 
nished to  the  squadron  were  paid  for  at  the  rate  insisted 
upon  by  the  Japanese;  nor  can  private  traders,  as  mat- 
ters stand,  expect  any  better  terms. 

The  rates  of  pilotage  at  Shimoda  were  fixed  at  fif- 
teen dollars  for  vessels  drawing  over  eighteen  feet,  five 
dollars  for  vessels  drawing  less  than  thirteen  feet,  and 
ten  dollars  for  those  of  intermediate  size ; only  half  of 
these  rates  to  be  paid  in  case  of  anchorage  in  the  outer 
harbor.  Water  was  to  be  furnished  at  fourteen  hundred 
kas  the  boat-load,  the  ship  finding  casks.  Wood  was 
to  be  delivered  on  board  at  seven  thousand  two  hundred 
kas  per  cube  of  five  American  feet. 

The  price  put  by  the  Japanese  upon  a few  tons  of 


312 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


inferior  coal,  brought  to  Shimoda,  amounted,  at  their 
rate  of  exchange,  to  twenty-eight  dollars  the  ton.  It 
did  not  appear  that  coal  was  anywhere  else  mined 
except  at  the  spot  visited  hy  Kiimpfer  and  Siehold  near 
Kolcura,  and  another  mine  in  the  province  of  Awa,  in 
the  island  Shikoku. 

The  business  thus  completed,  a parting  entertain- 
ment was  given  on  hoard  the  “Mississippi  and,  after 
an  interchange  of  presents,  the  vessels  on  the  26th  of 
June  took  their  departure.  Stopping  at  Lew  Chew, 
Commodore  Perry  negotiated  a compact  with  the  au- 
thorities of  that  island,  which,  from  all  the  information 
he  could  obtain,  he  concluded  to  he  a nearly  indepen- 
dent sovereignty. 

Within  fifteen  days  after  Commodore  Perry’s  de- 
parture from  Shimoda,  the  clipper  ship  “Lady  Pierce,” 
from  San  Francisco,  fitted  out  for  the  express  purpose 
of  being  the  first  American  ship  to  arrive  in  Japan 
after  the  opening  of  commercial  relations,  entered  the 
hay  of  Yedo,  with  the  owner,  Silas  E.  Burrows,  on 
hoard. 

He  had  with  him  a Japanese  seaman,  the  sole  sur- 
vivor of  a crew  of  fifteen  men,  belonging  to  a junk 
which  had  been  blown  out  to  sea,  and  was  picked  up 
near  the  Sandwich  Islands,  after  having  drifted  about 
for  seven  months.  This  man,  who  is  represented  as 
quite  intelligent,  and  who  had  resided  for  some  time 
at  San  Francisco,  was  received  with  lively  demonstra- 
tions of  pleasure  hy  his  countrymen. 

With  a party  of  the  Uraga  officials  on  board,  the 
“Lady  Pierce”  proceeded  to  within  ten  miles  of  Yedo, 
and  her  owners  expressed  a desir.e  to  anchor  off  that 
city;  hut  this  was  objected  to  hy  the  officers,  who 


'inn  Reception  of  Commodore  I’khry  nv  the  Japanese  Km  per  ok 


THE  “LADY  PIERCE”  IN  YEDO  BAY  313 


said,  “It  is  not  good;  Commodore  Perry  did  not  go 
there,  and  we  hope  you  will  not.'’ 

During  the  stay  of  the  vessel,  every  part  of  her  was 
crowded  with  visitors ; and  although  at  one  time  there 
must  have  been  several  thousands  in  and  around  the 
ship,  and  although  everything,  silverware  included,  was 
thrown  open  to  their  inspection,  not  a single  article  was 
stolen. 

Large  presents  of  silk,  porcelain,  lackered  ware,  etc., 
were  made  to  Mr.  Burrows,  who,  however,  was  informed 
that  henceforward  no  foreign  intercourse  would  be  per- 
mitted with  Yedo,  but  that  all  vessels  must  proceed 
either  to  Sliimoda  or  Hakodate.  Mr.  Burrows  himself 
proceeded  to  Shimoda,  but  does  not  seem  to  have  formed 
a very  high  idea  of  the  prospects  of  trade  there.1 

1 The  following  is  given  in  the  “San  Francisco  Herald”  as  a copy 
of  the  address  presented  to  Mr.  Burrows  on  this  occasion  : 

“ With  pleasure  we  welcome  you  to  Yedo  Bay,  and  in  doing  so,  can 
assure  you  that  your  ship,  the  ‘Lady  Pierce,’  is  the  first  foreign  vessel 
that  has  been  received  by  us  with  pleasure. 

“Commodore  Perry  brought  with  him  too  many  large  guns  and 
fighting  men  to  be  pleasing  to  us  ; but  you  have  come  in  your  beautiful 
ship,  which  is  superior  to  any  we  have  before  seen,  to  visit  us,  without 
any  hostile  weapons,  and  the  Emperor  has  ordered  that  you  shall  have 
all  the  kindness  and  liberty  extended  to  you  that  Commodore  Perry 
received. 

“You  have,  Mr.  Burrows,  come  here,  relying  on  our  friendship  and 
hospitality,  and  we  assure  you  that,  although  we  have  been  shut  out 
for  ages  from  other  nations  of  the  world,  yet  you  shall  bear  with  you, 
when  returning  to  your  country,  the  knowledge  that  our  Emperor  and 
the  Japanese  his  subjects  will  never  fail  of  extending  protection  to 
those  who  come  as  you  do  to  Japan.  But  the  Emperor  is  particu- 
larly desirous  that  you  should  extend  the  terms  of  the  treaty  made 
witli  Commodore  Perry,  wherever  you  may  go,  to  prevent  any  more 
ships  coming  to  Yedo  Bay,  as  all  must  hereafter  go  to  Shimoda  or 
Hakodate. 

“ It  has  given  the  Emperor  and  all  the  Japanese  great  pleasure  that 
you  have  returned  to  Japan  our  countryman,  Dee-yee-no-skee,1  who 
* This  name  is  unintelligible,  except  that  “ skee  ” stands  for  “ suke.”  — Edr. 


314 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


On  the  18tli  of  September,  the  steam-frigate  “Susque- 
hanna” again  appeared  at  Shimoda,  on  her  way  home  via 
the  Sandwich  Islands,  followed  on  the  21st  by  the  “Mis- 
sissippi”; three  days  after  which,  the  “Susquehanna” 
left,  and  the  “ Mississippi  ” on  the  1st  of  October.  The 

was  shipwrecked,  and  who  has  been  residing  for  some  time  in  your 
country,  where  he  states  he  has  been  treated  with  the  greatest  kind- 
ness, and  particularly  so  on  board  your  ship,  the  ‘ Lady  Pierce.’  That 
you  should  have  made  a voyage  to  Japan  to  restore  him  to  his  friends 
and  home,  without  any  other  inducement,  as  you  say,  except  to  see 
Japan,  and  to  form  a friendship  with  us,  merits  and  will  ever  receive 
our  most  friendly  feelings  ; and  be  assured,  if  any  of  your  countrymen, 
or  other  people,  are  shipwrecked  on  our  shores,  we  will  extend  the 
same  kindness  to  them  that  you  have  to  our  countrymen,  and  place 
them  at  Shimoda  or  Hakodate,  and  thus  open  to  the  world  that  our 
religion,  which  is  so  different  from  yours,  governs  the  Japanese,  in  all 
their  dealings,  by  as  correct  principles  as  yours  governs  you.  We 
understand  what  ships  of  war  are ; also  what  whaling  ships  and  mer- 
chant ships  are ; but  we  never  before  heard,  till  you  came  here,  of 
such  a ship  as  yours,  — a private  gentleman’s  pleasure  ship,  — coming 
so  far  as  you  have,  without  any  money-making  business  of  trade,  and 
only  to  see  Japan,  to  become  acquainted  with  us,  and  bring  home  one 
of  our  shipwrecked  people,  the  first  that  has  returned  to  Iris  country 
from  America  or  foreign  land. 

“You  offer  us,  as  presents,  all  the  rare  and  beautiful  articles  you 
have  in  your  ship ; but  have  received  orders  from  the  Emperor  that 
we  must  not  tax  your  kind  feelings  by  taking  anything  from  you,  as 
you  have  already  been  sufficiently  taxed  in  returning  Dee-yee-no-skee. 

“The  Emperor  also  directs  that  all  the  gold  pieces  you  have  pre- 
sented to  the  Japanese  must  be  collected  and  returned  to  you,  and  to 
say  that  he  alone  must  make  presents  in  Yedo  Bay.  He  has  directed 
presents  to  be  made  to  you,  in  the  Emperor’s  name,  by  the  governor 
of  Shimoda,  where  he  desires  you  will  proceed  in  your  ship,  the  ‘ Lady 
Pierce,’  and  land  Dee-yee-no-skee,  which  will  be  in  compliance  with 
the  treaty. 

“Your  visit  to  Japan  in  the  ‘Lady  Pierce’  has  been  attended  with 
great  interest  to  us,  and  you  will-  not  be  forgotten  by  the  Japanese. 
We  hope  we  may  meet  you  again,  and  we  hope  you  will  come  back  to 
Japan. 

“ The  Emperor  has  directed  that  two  ships  like  yours  shall  be  built, 
and  we  thank  you  for  having  allowed  us  to  take  drawings  of  the  ‘ Lady 
Fierce,’  and  of  all  that  we  desired  on  board.” 


THIRD  VISIT  OF  THE  SQUADRON 


315 


reception  given  to  the  officers  of  both  ships  was  very 
cordial,  and  their  intercourse  both  with  officials  and  the 
towns-people  was  almost  entirely  free  from  any  marks 
of  that  restraint  and  apparent  suspicion  exhibited  on 
former  occasions.  Besides  an  interchange  of  visits  and 
dinners,  several  Japanese  officials  attended,  on  a Sunday, 
divine  service  on  hoard  the  “Susquehanna.” 

“Many  of  us,”  writes  an  officer  of  the  “Mississippi,” 
“entered  houses  very  frequently,  and  sat  down  with 
the  people  to  smoke  or  drink  tea.  One  day  the  sound 
of  a guitar  attracted  me,  and  I found  an  olive  girl,  of 
some  fifteen  or  sixteen  years,  who,  not  perceiving  my 
presence,  continued  her  play.  It  was  a strange  tune, 
wild  and  melancholy,  and  often  abruptly  interrupted 
by  harsh  accords.  After  a while  some  women  that  had 
assembled  around  us  made  the  girl  aware  of  my  pres- 
ence ; she  threw  down  her  instrument  and  began  to  cry, 
and  I could  not  induce  her  to  play  again.  The  guitar 
was  made  of  wood,  with  the  exception  of  the  upper  lid. 
Of  the  three  strings,  two  were  in  the  octave,  the  middle 
one  giving  the  fifth.  The  strings  were  not  touched  by 
the  fingers,  but  with  a flat  piece  of  horn,  held  between 
the  thumb  and  third  finger  of  the  right  hand,  in  shape 
not  unlike  the  one  painters  use  to  clean  their  palettes 
and  mix  their  colors. 

“ On  another  occasion  I heard  a young  man  playing 
a flute.  This  instrument  was  of  the  most  primitive 
description,  consisting  only  of  a piece  of  hollow  bam- 
boo, bored  with  seven  finger-holes,  and  the  hole  for  the 
mouth.  The  tunes  were  very  strange,  and  appeared  to 
me  more  like  a mass  of  confused  sounds,  than  a regular 
harmony.1 

1 Seo  papers  on  Japanese  music  in  vol.  xix  of  the  “ Transactions  of 
the  Asiatic  Society  of  Japan.” — Edk. 


316 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


“ At  the  beginning  of  the  new  moon,  I saw  in  several 
houses  a sort  of  domestic  worship.  A number  of  women 
had  assembled  before  the  shrine  of  the  household  god, 
and,  divided  in  two  parties,  were  singing  hymns,  one 
party  alternately  answering  the  other.  Their  song  was 
accompanied  by  strokes  upon  a little  bell  or  gong,  with 
a small  wooden  hammer;  and,  as  the  bells  were  of  dif- 
ferent tones,  the  effect  was  by  no  means  unpleasant.” 

“There  are  a number  of  temples  near  Shimoda,” 
writes  an  officer  of  the  “Susquehanna,”  “and  attached 
to  each  is  a graveyard.  At  one  of  these,  situated 
near  a village,  there  is  a place  set  apart  for  Ameri- 
cans. Here  Dr.  Hamilton  was  buried,  being  laid  by 
the  side  of  two  others  who  had  died  on  the  second 
visit  of  the  ships.  Each  grave  has  its  appropriate 
stone,  as  with  us,  and  by  many  of  them  are  ever- 
greens set  in  vases,  or  joints  of  bamboo,  containing 
water.  Cups  of  fresh  water  are  also  set  by  the  graves, 
and  to  these,  birds  of  dazzling  plumage  and  delightful 
song  come  and  drink.  The  graves  of  the  Americans 
were  not  forgotten.” 

The  officers  were  permitted  to  go  into  the  country 
any  distance  they  wished,  and  the  country  people  were 
found  pleasant  and  sociable ; but  upon  this  second  visit 
the  advantages  of  Shimoda  as  a place  of  trade,  or  the 
prospects  of  traffic  under  the  treaty,  do  not  seem  to  have 
struck  the  visitors  very  favorably.  “ The  harbor,  ” writes 
an  officer  of  the  “Susquehanna”  to  the  “Tribune,”  “is 
a small  indentation  of  land,  running  northeast  and  south- 
west, about  a half-mile  in  extent,  and  is  capable  of  hold- 
ing five  or  six  vessels  of  ordinary  size.  It  is,  however, 
entirely  unprotected  from  the  southwest  winds,  which 
bring  with  them  a heavy  sea,  and  which  renders  the 


SHIMODA 


317 


anchorage  very  unsafe.  With  the  wind  from  the  north 
and  the  east,  the  vessel  rides  at  her  ease  at  her  an- 
chorage. Good  wood  and  sweet  water,  as  well  as  a 
few  provisions,  were  obtained  from  the  authorities,  for 
the  use  of  the  ships,  at  the  most  extravagant  prices. 
Numerous  articles,  such  as  lackered  and  China  ware,  of 
a very  fine  and  delicate  quality,  and  far  superior  to  that 
manufactured  in  China,  were  purchased  by  the  officers ; 
but  every  article  had  to  pass  through  the  hands  of  the 
Japanese  officers,  and  the  amount  due  the  merchants 
had  to  be  paid,  not  to  them  but  to  the  Japanese  offi- 
cials who  had  been  appointed  for  that  very  purpose  by 
the  mayor  of  the  city  and  the  governor  of  the  province. 
This  article  of  the  treaty  will  be  most  scrupulously  en- 
forced; and  this  is  decidedly  its  worst  feature.” 

“Shimoda,”  writes  another  officer,  “does  not  appear 
well  calculated,  upon  the  whole,  for  a place  of  trade, 
and  it  can  never  become  an  active  commercial  town. 
Neither  is  it  a manufacturing  town.  This,  added  to 
the  fact  that  the  harbor  is  a bad  one,  will  make  it 
appear  evident  that  the  Japanese  commissioners  got 
the  better  of  us  in  the  treaty,  as  far  as  this  place  is 
concerned. 

“The  surrounding  country  (wherever  nature  will 
permit  it)  is  highly  cultivated.  The  valley  of  the 
creek  is  broad  and  well  tilled,  yielding  rice,  millet, 
Egyptian  corn  and  maize.1  The  ears  produced  by 
the  hast  are  very  small,  being  not  more  than  from  two 
to  four  inches  in  length.  Sweet  potatoes  and  the  egg- 
plant are  also  raised  in  great  abundance.  There  are  no 
horses  about  Shimoda,  and  bullocks  are  made  to  supply 
their  places.  Provisions,  with  the  exception  of  eggs 
1 This,  probably,  is  one  of  the  Portuguese  legacies  to  Japan. 


318 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


and  vegetables,  cannot  be  obtained  here.  The  shark 
and  bonito  are  the  only  large  fish  found  in  the  harbor. 
Small  fish  are  plentiful,  and  they  seem  to  form  almost 
the  only  article  of  food  of  the  inhabitants,  besides 
rice.” 

The  following  description  of  the  houses  at  Shimoda, 
by  Mr.  S.  Wells  Williams,  will  serve  to  illustrate  the 
descriptions  of  Japanese  houses  already  given  from 
Kampfer  and  Thunberg,  and  will  show  how  little,  as 
to  that  matter,  Japan  has  altered  since  their  time: 

“ The  houses  in  Shimoda  are  built  merely  of  pine 
boards,  or  of  plaster  thickly  spread  over  a wattled  wall 
of  laths,  the  interstices  of  which  are  filled  in  with 
mud.  In  some  cases  these  modes  of  construction  are 
combined  — the  front  and  rear  being  of  boards,  or  slid- 
ing panels,  and  the  sides  of  mud.  When  thoroughly 
dried,  the  mud  is  whitewashed,  and  the  plain  surface 
worked  into  round  ridges,  three  inches  high,  crossing 
each  other  diagonally  from  the  roof  to  the  ground ; the 
ridges  are  then  washed  blue,  and  give  the  exterior  a 
checker-board  look,  which,  though  singular,  is  more 
lively  than  a blue  mud  wall.  The  plaster  is  excel- 
lent, and  these  walls  appear  very  solid  and  rather 
pretty  when  new ; at  a distance  one  would  even  think 
them  to  be  stone;  but  after  a few  years  the  ridges 
loosen,  the  rain  insinuates  itself  beneath  the  outer 
coating,  and  the  whole  begins  to  scale  and  crack  off, 
disclosing  the  mud  and  rushes,  and  then  the  tenement 
soon  falls  to  pieces.  Still  the  progress  of  decay7  is  not 
so  rapid  as  one  would  think,  judging  only7  by  the  nature 
of  the  materials,  and  the  walls  are  well  protected  by  the 
projecting  eaves.  No  bricks  are  used  in  building,  nor 
are  square  tiles  for  floors  seen;  and  the  manner  of 


SHIMODA 


310 


making  walls  common  in  southern  China,  by  beating 
sanded  clay  into  wooden  moulds,  is  unknown. 

“ Some  of  the  best  houses  and  temples  have  stone 
foundations,  a few  only  of  which  are  made  of  dressed 
stone.  Half  a dozen  or  more  storehouses  occur,  faced 
entirely  with  slabs  of  stone,  and  standing  detached  from 
other  buildings,  and  are  doubtless  fire-proof  buildings. 
There  are  no  cellars  under  the  houses;  the  floors  are 
raised  on  sleepers  only  two  feet  above  the  beaten  ground, 
and  uniformly  covered  with  straw  mats  stuffed  with 
chaff,  or  grass  an  inch  thick.  The  frames  are  of  pine, 
the  joists  four  or  five  inches  square,  and  held  together 
by  the  flooring  of  the  attic,  as  well  as  the  plates  and 
ridge-pole.  The  houses  and  shops  join  each  other  on 
the  sides,  with  few  exceptions,  leaving  the  front  and 
rear  open.  There  is  no  uniformity  in  the  width  of  the 
lots,  the  fronts  of  some  shops  extending  twenty,  thirty, 
or  more  feet  along  the  street,  while  intermediate  ones 
are  mere  stalls  not  over  ten  feet  -wide. 

“ The  shops  succeed  each  other  without  any  regular 
order  as  to  their  contents,  those  of  the  same  sort  not 
being  arranged  together,  as  is  often  the  case  in  China. 
The  finer  wares  are  usually  kept  in  drawers,  so  that, 
unless  one  is  well  acquainted  with  the  place,  he  can- 
not easily  find  the  goods  he  seeks.  The  eaves  of  the 
houses  project  about  four  feet  from  the  front  and  are 
not  over  eight  feet  from  the  ground;  the  porch  thus 
made  furnishes  a covered  place  for  arranging  crockery, 
fruits,  etc.,  for  sale,  trays  of  trinkets  on  a movable 
stall,  baskets  of  grain,  or  other  coarse  articles,  to  at- 
tract buyers.  The  entrance  is  on  one  side,  and  the 
path  leads  directly  through  to  the  rear.  The  wooden 
shutters  of  shops  are  all  removed  in  the  daytime,  and 


320 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


the  paper  windows  elosed,  or  thrust  aside,  according  to 
the  weather.  On  a pleasant  day  the  doors  are  open, 
and  in  lieu  of  the  windows  a screen  is  hung  midway 
so  as  to  conceal  the  shopman  and  his  customer  from 
observation,  while  those  goods  placed  on  the  stand 
are  still  under  his  eye.  A case,  with  latticed  or  wire 
doors,  to  contain  the  fine  articles  of  earthen  ware,  a 
framework,  with  hooks  and  shelves,  to  suspend  iron 
utensils  or  wooden  ware,  or  a movable  case  of  drawers, 
to  hold  silks,  fine  lackered  ware,  or  similar  goods,  con- 
stitute nearly  all  the  furniture  of  the  shops.  Apothe- 
caries’ shops  are  hung  with  gilded  signs  and  paper 
placards,  setting  forth  the  variety  and  virtues  of  their 
medicines,  some  of  which  are  described  as  brought  from 
Europe.  The  partition  which  separates  the  shop  from 
the  dwelling  is  sometimes  closed,  but  more  usually 
open ; and  a customer  has,  generally  speaking,  as  much 
to  do  with  the  mistress  as  the  master  of  the  establish- 
ment. When  he  enters,  his  straw  sandals  are  always 
left  on  the  ground  as  he  steps  on  the  mats  and  squats 
down  to  look  at  the  goods,  which  are  then  spread  out 
on  the  floor.  A foreigner  has  need  of  some  thought- 
fulness in  this  particular,  as  it  is  an  annoyance  to  a 
Japanese  to  have  his  mats  soiled  by  dirty  feet,  or 
broken  through  by  coarse  shoes. 

“ The  rear  of  the  building  is  appropriated  to  the 
family.  Here  the  domestic  operations  are  all  carried 
on ; here  the  family  take  their  meals  in  the  day ; here, 
on  the  same  mats,  do  the}^  sleep  at  night;  receiving 
visitors  and  dressing  the  children  are  also  done  here, 
and  sometimes  the  cooking  too.  Usually  this  latter 
household  task  is  performed  in  the  porch  in  the  rear, 
or  in  an  out-house,  so  that  the  inmates  are  not  so  much 


Scene  in  the  IIakhok  of  Urag 


SHIMODA 


3-21 


annoyed  with  smoke  as  they  are  in  Hakodate.  No  ar- 
rangements for  warming  the  dwelling  are  to  be  found, 
except  that  of  hand-braziers  placed  in  the  middle  of  the 
room  with  lighted  charcoal,  around  which  the  family 
gather.  In  most  of  the  houses  there  is  a garret, 
reached  by  a ladder,  — a dark  and  small  apartment, 
where  some  goods  can  he  stored,  or  servants  can  be 
lodged.  There  is  not  a house  in  the  town  whose 
occupants  have  arranged  this  attic  with  windows  and 
stairways  to  make  it  a pleasant  room;  a few  such  were, 
however,  seen  near  the  capital,  at  Kanagawa,  and  in 
its  vicinity. 

“The  roofs  of  all  the  best  buildings  are  hipped,  and 
covered  with  bluish  tiling,  each  tile  being  about  eight 
inches  square,  shaped  somewhat  like  a wedge ; the  thick 
side  is  so  made  that,  when  laid  on  the  rafters,  it  laps 
sideways  over  the  thin  edge  of  the  adjoining  tile  in 
the  next  row,  and  thus  forms  gutters  somewhat  like 
the  Chinese  roofs.  They  are  washed  in  alternate  rows 
of  white  and  blue,  which,  with  the  checkered  walls,  im- 
parts a lively  aspect,  and  contrasts  pleasantly  with  the 
more  numerous  dingy  thatched  roofs.  The  thatched 
roofs  are  made  of  a species  of  Arundo,  grown  and 
prepared  for  this  purpose,  and  answering  admirably  as 
a cheap  and  light  covering  to  the  wooden  tenements 
occupied  by  most  of  the  people.  It  is  matted  into  a 
compact  mass  eighteen  inches  thick,  as  it  is  laid  on, 
and  then  the  surface  and  the  sides  are  neatly  sheared. 
The  ridge-pole  is  protected  by  laying  the  thatch  over 
a row  of  hoops  that  enclose  it  enough  to  overlap  the 
edges  on  both  slopes,  and  prevent  the  rain  finding  en- 
trance. One  cannot  feel  surprise  at  the  ravages  fires 
make  in  Japanese  towns,  where  the  least  wind  must 

VOL.  II.  — 21 


322 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


blow  the  flame  upon  such  straw  coverings,  which,  like 
a tinder-box,  would  ignite  at  the  first  spark.  Wires 
are  stretched  along  the  ridges  of  some  of  the  tiled  roofs 
in  Shimoda  to  prevent  birds  from  resting  on  the  houses. 

“In  the  rear  yards,  attached  to  a large  number  of 
the  dwellings,  are  out-houses,  and  sometimes,  as  in  the 
lodging-houses,  additional  sleeping-rooms.  Kitchen- 
gardens  are  not  unfrequently  seen,  and  more  rarely 
fancy  fish-ponds,  dwarfed  trees,  and  even  stone  carv- 
ings. A family  shrine,  made  like  a miniature  house, 
containing  images  of  penates  and  lares,  is  met  with  in 
most  of  the  yards.  Only  a few  of  them  are  adorned 
with  large  trees,  and  still  fewer  of  them  exhibit  marks 
of  care  or  taste,  presenting  in  this  respect  an  observable 
contrast  to  the  neatness  of  the  houses.  High  hedges 
or  stone  walls  separate  these  yards  when  they  are  con- 
tiguous, but  the  depth  of  the  lots  is  usually  insuffi- 
cient to  allow  room  for  both  the  opposite  dwellings 
the  luxury  of  a garden. 

“ There  is  not  much  variety  in  the  structure  of  the 
various  buildings  in  Shimoda,  and  their  general  ap- 
pearance denotes  little  enterprise  or  wealth.  The 
paper  windows  and  doors,  not  a few  of  them  dirty 
and  covered  with  writing,  or  torn  by  children  to  take 
a peep  inside,  impart  a monotonous  aspect  to  the  streets. 
Dyers’,  carpenters’,  blacksmiths’,  stone-cutters’,  and 
some  other  shops,  have  latticed  fronts  to  admit  more 
light,  which  are  elevated  above  the  observation  of  per- 
sons passing  by.  In  front  of  those  dwellings  occupied 
by  officials,  a white  cotton  curtain,  three  feet  wide,  is 
stretched  along  the  whole  length  of  the  porch,  having 
the  coat  of  arms  of  the  occupant  painted  on  it  in  black ; 
the  names  of  the  principal  lodgers  are  also  stuck  on  the 


BRITISH  SHIPS  AT  NAGASAKI 


323 


door-posts.  Signs  are  mostly  written  on  the  doors,  as 
the  windows  are  drawn  aside  during  the  day;  but  only 
a portion  of  the  shops  have  any.  Lodging-houses,  bar- 
bers’ shops,  restaurants,  or  tea-houses,  apothecaries,  and 
a few  others,  are  almost  always  indicated  by  signs.  One 
dealer  in  crockery  and  lackered  ware  has  the  sign  of 
a celebrated  medicine  placed  on  a high  pole,  and,  the 
more  to  attract  attention,  has  written  the  name  in 
foreign  letters.  As  in  China,  placards  for  medicines 
were  the  most  conspicuous  of  all,  hut  none  are  pasted 
upon  blank  walls;  all  are  suspended  in  the  shops. 
However,  no  dwelling  or  shop  is  left  unprotected  from 
the  ill-usage  of  malignant  spirits,  every  one  having  a 
written  or  printed  charm  or  picture  (sometimes  a score 
or  more)  over  the  door  to  defend  the  inmates  from 
evil.” 

In  the  interval  between  Commodore  Perry’s  first  and 
second  visits  to  the  bay  of  Yedo,  Nagasaki  was  visited 
by  a Russian  squadron.  On  the  7th  of  September,  1854, 
just  before  the  last  visit  of  the  “ Mississippi  ” and  “ Sus- 
quehanna ” to  Shimoda,  a British  squadron  of  three 
steamers  an.d  a frigate  arrived  at  Nagasaki  under  Admiral 
Sterling.  These  British  vessels,  which  found  the  annual 
Dutch  trading-ship,  two  large  Chinese  junks,  also  a 
Dutch  steamer,  lying  in  the  harbor,  encountered  the 
usual  reception,  being  served  with  notices,  surrounded 
with  boats,  and  denied  liberty  to  land.  At  length, 
however,  after  a deal  of  negotiation  and  threats  to 
pioceed  to  Yedo,  it  was  agreed  to  furnish  supplies, 
tea,  rice,  pigs,  etc.,  and  to  receive  payment  through 
the  Dutch.  On  the  15th  the  admiral  landed,  and 
was  conducted  in  state  to  the  governor’s  house.  The 
guard-boats  were  withdrawn,  and  the  men  were  allowed 


324 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


to  land  on  an  island  to  recreate  themselves.  Other  in- 
terviews followed,  presents  were  interchanged,  and,  on 
the  19th,  the  squadron  left.  These  particulars  are 
drawn  from  the  published  letter  of  a medical  officer 
on  board,  who  describes  the  supplies  furnished  as 
very  good,  and  the  Japanese  soy  as  cheap  and  nice, 
hut  who  does  not  seem  to  have  relished  the  sake, 
which  he  likens  in  taste  to  acetate  of  ammonia  water. 

The  American  war-steamer  “ Powhatan  ” visited  Shi- 
moda  February  21,  1855,  to  complete  the  exchange  of 
ratification,  which  done,  she  sailed  again  two  days  after. 
The  town  of  Shimoda  was  found  in  a state  of  desolation 
and  ruin,  from  the  effects  of  a disastrous  earthquake, 
on  the  23d  of  December  previous,  in  which  the  Russian 
frigate  “Diana,”  then  lying  in  the  harbor  to  complete 
the  pending  negotiations,  was  so  damaged  as  to  have 
sunk  in  attempting  to  make  a neighboring  port  for 
repairs.  Osaka  and  Yedo  were  reported  to  have  suf- 
fered severely,  and  Yedo  still  more  from  a subsequent 
fire. 

[See  also  “Matthew  Calbraith  Perry”  (Griffis)  and  the  Official 
Report  of  Commodore  Perry’s  Expedition.  — Edb.J 


CHAPTER  XL VI 


New  Dutch  Trent!/  — Mr.  Harris,  American  Consul  at  Shimoda — His 
Convention  with  the  Japanese — His  Journey  to  Yedo  — Second  Visit 
to  Yedo — Conditional  Treaty  — British  Treaty  — French  ami  Rus- 
sian Treaties  — Japanese  Embassies  to  the  United  States,  A.  D.  1S54- 
1S60. 

THE  success  of  the  Americans  in  forming  a treaty 
with  Japan  led  to  negotiations  on  the  part  of 
the  Dutch,  by  which  the  narrow  privileges  en- 
joyed by  that  nation  were  considerably  extended.  By 
this  treaty,  which  was  signed  January  30,  185G,  the 
ports  open  to  the  Americans  were  opened  also  to  the 
Dutch.  They  were  allowed  to  exercise  their  religion, 
and  to  bring  their  wives  and  children  to  Japan.  They 
were  authorized  to  trade  directly  with  Japanese  mer- 
chants, and  to  hold  free  intercourse  at  Deshima  with 
other  foreigners.  They,  in  their  turn,  undertook  to 
supply  the  Japanese  with  a war  steamer,  and  to  give 
them  instruction  in  naval  matters. 

In  August,  1856,  the  United  States  steamer  “San 
Jacinto  ” arrived  at  Shimoda,  bringing  out  Mr.  Town- 
shend  Harris,  a merchant  of  New  York,  who  had  been 
appointed  consul  to  Japan;  as  it  proved,  a very  judi- 
cious selection.1  A temple  near  Shimoda  was  ap- 
pointed for  his  residence,  but  the  whole  circumstances 
of  his  reception  showed  that  the  Japanese  dislike  of 
foreign  intercourse  remained  almost  as  strong  as  ever. 

1 See  also  “Townsend  Harris”  (Griffis).  — Edr. 


326 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


They  had  taken  some  steps,  however,  to  execute  the 
treaty.  They  had  built  a stone  landing-place  at  Slii- 
moda,  had  brought  from  the  mines  several  hundred  tons 
of  coal,  and  had  constructed  a large  bazaar  for  the  sale 
to  Americans  of  Japanese  wares.  But  it  was  very  ap- 
parent that  Shimoda,  from  its  situation,  never  could 
become  a place  of  much  trade;  while  the  necessity  of 
purchasing  through  a Japanese  official,  and  the  low 
valuation  put  upon  American  wares,  as  estimated  in 
Japanese  currency,  were  additional  obstacles. 

Mr.  Harris  obtained  the  confidence  and  good-will  of 
the  authorities  at  Shimoda,  and  succeeded  in  negotiat- 
ing a convention,  in  March,  1857,  by  which  American 
citizens  were  allowed  to  reside  at  Shimoda  and  Hako- 
date, and  to  trade  at  Nagasaki;  and  by  which,  also, 
it  was  hoped  that  the  currency  difficulty  would  be 
arranged. 

Mr.  Harris  had  brought  with  him  a letter  from  the 
president  to  the  emperor,  and  at  length,  after  much 
importunity  and  more  than  a year’s  delay,  he  obtained 
leave  to  visit  Yedo  to  deliver  it.  Yedo  is  only  eighty 
miles  by  land  from  Shimoda,  yet  it  took  several  days 
to  make  the  journey.  Mr.  Harris  thus  describes  it  in 
a private  letter: 

“ My  train  numbered  some  one  hundred  and  fifty  persons, 
composed  of  guards,  norimono-bearers,  cooks,  grooms,  shoe- 
bearers,  cane-bearers,  fan-bearers,  and  last,  though  not  least, 
a standard-bearer,  and  a large  number  of  coolies.  I had 
permitted  the  Japanese  to  arrange  and  dress  my  train  ac- 
cording to  their  ideas  of  propriety,  and  what  they  conceived 
was  due  to  the  representative  of  the  President  of  the  United 
States.  My  guards,  each  with  two  swords  in  the  girdle, 
and  clad  in  new  silk  dresses,  as  they  swelled  and  strutted 


MR.  HARRIS’  JOURNEY  TO  YEDO 


327 


about,  appeared  to  be  ‘mightily  uplifted  in  heart,’  while  they 
and  my  bearers  and  grooms  appeared  to  have  ‘broken  out’ 
all  over  their  bodies  with  ‘ spread  eagles,’  as  the  back, 
breast,  and  sleeves  of  their  dresses  were  sprinkled  over 
with  the  arms  of  the  United  States,  which  were  neatly 
painted  on  them.  I performed  the  journey  partly  on  horse- 
back, and  partly  in  a norimono,  which  is  the  Japanese  name 
for  a palanquin.  The  Japanese  norimono  will  compare  with 
the  celebrated  iron  cage  of  .Cardinal  Balue,  of  France,  in 
which  the  poor  inmate  could  neither  lie  down  nor  stand  up. 
In  the  norimono  the  Japanese  kneel  and  place  their  feet 
close  together,  and  then  sit  on  their  heels ; if  they  wish  to 
repose  themselves  they  lean  forward,  and  rest  the  chin  on 
their  knees,  so  that  the  body  and  limbs  form  three  horizon- 
tal folds  or  piles  — a position  that  they  assume  and  keep 
without  annoyance,  from  long  practice,  and  from  the  great 
flexibility  of  their  joints,  but  which  is  almost  unattainable 
by  a white  man,  and  is  absolutely  unendurable. 

“ I had  a norimono  made  for  me  seven  feet  long,  and  in 
it  I put  a mattress  and  pillows,  which  made  it  as  comfort- 
able as  the  Indian  palanquin  ; but,  of  all  modes  of  travelling, 
the  camel,  the  elephant,  and  the  palanquin  are  the  most 
fatiguing. 

“ On  the  morning  of  Monday,  November  23,  I started 
for  a long-desired  goal  of  my  wishes.  Four  lads,  with  small 
bamboo  wands,  led  the  way  as  harbingers,  and  their  voices 
sounded  quite  musical  as  they  sang  the  Japanese  words  for 
‘clear  the  way,’  ‘kneel  down,’  ‘kneel  down.’  Next  fol- 
lowed a Japanese  officer  on  horseback;  then  came  a large 
lackered  tablet,  bearing  my  name  and  titles  in  immense 
Chinese  characters.  The  tablet  was  supported  by  two  huge 
transparent  lanterns,  which  bore  similar  inscriptions.  (When 
I halted,  the  tablet  was  placed  in  front  of  my  quarters,  and 
at  night  the  lanterns  were  lighted  and  hung  up  over  the  gate 
of  the  house.)  Next  came  a stout  fellow,  bearing  the  ‘ stars 


328 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


aud  stripes,’  with  four  guards.  I followed,  either  on  horse- 
back or  in  my  norimono,  and  attended  by  twelve  guards. 
Next  came  Mr.  Heusken  (interpreter),  and  after  him  I do 
not  recollect  how  it  was  arranged,  except  that  the  Vice- 
Governor  brought  up  the  rear. 

“ For  the  first  three  days  the  route  was  entangled  among 
mountains  and  deep  ravines  which  compose  the  peninsula  of 
Izu.  The  path  (for  it  could  not  be  called  a road)  was  nar- 
row, and  in  many  places  was  formed  by  cutting  steps  in  the 
Fufa  rocks,  and  sometimes  it  ran  over  mountains  four  thou- 
sand feet  high.  On  the  second  day  I reached  Ugashima,  and 
as  I emerged  from  the  gorges  of  Mount  Amagi,  I had  my 
first  view  of  ‘Fuji  Yama,’ the  ‘Matchless  Mountain.’  The 
sight  was  grand  beyond  description.  As  viewed  from  the 
Temple  at  Ugashima,  the  mountain  appears  to  be  entirely 
isolated,  and  shoots  up  in  a glorious  and  perfect  cone  ten 
thousand  feet  high!  It  was  covered  with  snow,  and  in  a 
bright  sunlight  it  glittered  like  frosted  silver.  For  the  two 
nights  I was  lodged  in  temples,  which  had  been  fitted  up 
for  me  with  new  bath-rooms,  and  other  appliances  to  con- 
tribute to  my  comfort.  On  the  evening  of  the  third  day  I 
arrived  at  Mishima,  a town  on  the  To-kai-do  or  great  East 
Road,  and  from  thence  to  Y’edo  the  road  is  wide  and  good. 
On  the  great  roads  of  Japan  nice  buildings  are  erected  for 
the  accommodation  of  the  princes  when  they  travel ; they 
are  called  Honjin  ; and  it  was  in  them  that  I had  my  quar- 
ters for  the  remainder  of  my  journey. 

“ My  first  day’s  journey  on  the  Td-kai-do  wTas  over  the 
mountain  Hakone,  which  is  some  four  thousand  and  five 
hundred  feet  high. 

“The  passage  of  Mount  Hakone  was  not  completed 
until  after  nightfall ; but  I did  not  regret  being  belated,  as 
it  afforded  me  the  novel  sight  of  my  train  brilliantly  lighted 
by  a large  number  of  huge  bamboo  torches.  As  the  train 
twisted  and  turned  among  the  descents  of  the  mountain,  it 


Townsend  Harris 


ARRIVAL  AT  YEDO 


329 


looked  like  the  tail  of  a huge  fiery  dragon.  On  reaching  the 
plain  I was  met  by  the  authorities  of  the  city  of  Odawara, 
and  a whole  army  of  lanterns,  of  all  imaginable  sizes  and 
colors,  each  being  decorated  with  the  arms  of  its  owner,  and 
the  whole  forming  an  ensemble  that  was  lively  and  pleasing. 
1 passed  Sunday,  the  29th  of  November,  at  Kawasaki. 
From  my  first  arrival  in  Japan  up  to  the  present  day,  I 
have  always  refused  to  transact  any  business  or  to  travel  on 
Sunday.  I soon  got  the  Japanese  to  understand  my  motive, 
and  1 am  sure  it  has  increased  their  respect  for  me. 

“The  roads  were  all  repaired,  and  cleanly  swept,  on  the 
whole  of  my  route,  before  I passed ; bridges  were  put  in 
order,  and  many  new  ones  built;  all  travel  on  the  road  was 
stopped,  so  that  I did  not  see  those  crowds  of  travellers, 
priests,  nuns,  etc.,  described  by  Kampfer;  the  shops  in  all 
the  towns  and  villages  were  closed  (except  cook-shops  and 
tea  houses),  and  the  inhabitants,  clad  in  their  holiday  clothes, 
knelt  on  mats  spread  in  front  of  their  houses;  not  a sound 
was  heard,  nor  a gesture  indicative  of  curiosity  seen  ; all  was 
respectful  silence.  The  people  were  ordered  to  cast  down 
their  eyes  as  I passed,  as  I was  too  high  even  to  be  looked 
at ; but  this  order  was  only  partially  obeyed,  for  the  dear 
daughters  of  Eve  would  have  a peep,  regardless  of  conse- 
quences. The  authorities  of  the  towns  and  villages  met  me 
at  their  boundaries,  and  saluted  me  by  kneeling  and  ‘ knock- 
ing head  ’ ; they  then  led  the  way  through  their  little  juris- 
dictions, and  took  leave  by  similar  prostrations. 

“ On  Monday,  the  30th  of  November,  I made  my  entry 
into  Yedo.  My  followers  put  on  their  kamishimo,  or  dresses 
of  ceremony,  decorated  with  any  quantity  of  eagles. 

“ I should  not  have  known  when  I passed  the  line  which 
separates  Shinagawa  from  Yedo,  had  the  spot  not  been 
pointed  out  to  me,  as  the  houses  form  a continuous  street 
for  some  miles  before  you  reach  the  actual  boundary  of  the 
city.  From  the  gate  by  which  I eutered  the  city  to  my 


330 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


quarters  was  about  seven  miles.  The  streets  of  Yedo  are 
divided  iuto  sections  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  yards,  by 
gates  and  palisades  of  strong  timber.  This  enables  the 
police  to  isolate  any  portion  of  the  city,  or  any  line  running 
through  it,  and  thus  prevent  the  assembling  of  crowds  or 
mobs.  When  we  approached  a gate,  it  was  opened,  and 
as  soon  as  the  rear  had  passed  through,  it  was  closed.  The 
gates  of  all  the  cross  streets  were  also  kept  closed.  I could 
see  immense  crowds  beyond  the  gates,  but  the  people  on  our 
actual  line  of  march  were  those  only  that  occupied  the  build- 
ings on  the  route.  Notwithstanding  all  this,  the  number 
that  assembled  was  prodigious.  The  centre  of  the  way  was 
kept  clear,  and  the  crowd  kept  back  by  ropes  stretched  along 
each  side  of  the  street.  The  assemblage  was  composed  of 
men,  women,  and  children,  of  all  ranks  and  conditions  — the 
women  being  the  larger  number.  I estimated  the  two  lines 
of  people  that  extended  along  the  way,  from  my  entrance 
iuto  the  city  to  the  place  provided  for  my  residence,  to  have 
been  full  three  hundred  thousand.  Yet  in  all  this  vast  con- 
course I did  not  hear  a word,  except  the  constant  cry  of  the 
harbingers,  Satu,  satu  / [ ?] . 

“ You  may  think  it  impossible  that  silence  could  have 
been  maintained  among  so  large  a number  of  women,  but 
I assure  you  it  was  so. 

“The  house  prepared  for  me  was  situated  within  the 
fourth  circle  of  the  castle,  or  aristocratic  portion  of  the  city, 
and  large  enough  to  accommodate  five  hundred  persons,  in 
the  Japanese  manner. 

“ On  my  arrival  I was  warmly  welcomed  by  my  good  friend 
the  Prince  of  Shinano  [Inouye  Shinano-no-kami],  who  showed 
me  the  various  provisions  that  had  been  made  for  my  accom- 
modation and  comfort,  and  which  included  chairs,  tables, 
bedsteads,  etc.,  none  of  which  are  used  by  the  Japanese. 

“ The  following  day  the  Prince  of  Tamba  [Toki  Tamba- 
no-kami]  visited  me  in  great  state.  He  said  he  came  as  a 


MR.  HARRIS  VISITS  THE  PALACE 


331 


‘ special  embassador  ’ from  the  Emperor  to  congratulate  me 
on  my  arrival,  and  to  ask  after  my  health.  After  receiving 
these  compliments,  and  making  a suitable  reply,  the  Prince 
pointed  to  a large  box,  which  he  said  was  a present  to  me 
from  his  Majesty.  I found  the  box  contained  five  large 
trays  of  bon-bons,  weighing  one  hundred  pounds. 

“I  subsequently  visited  the  hereditary  Prince  of  Hotta 
[Hotta  Bitchu-no-kami] , Chief  of  the  great  Council  of  State 
and  Minister  for  Foreign  Affairs.  The  visit  was  a pleasant 
one,  and  the  arrangements  for  my  audience  were  completed. 
I gave  the  Prince  a copy  of  my  intended  speech  to  the  Em- 
peror, and  before  I left,  he  gave  a copy  of  the  reply  the 
Emperor  would  make  to  me.  By  this  arrangement,  the 
speeches  being  both  translated  beforehand,  we  would  be 
enabled  to  dispense  with  the  presence  of  interpreters  at  the 
audience.  Ou  the  Monday  week  after  my  arrival,  I set  out 
for  the  Palace.-  My  train  blazed  out  in  new  silk  dresses, 
and  my  guard  wore  their  breeches  rolled  up  to  the  middle 
of  the  thigh.  You  must  know  that  the  wearing  of  breeches 
in  Japan  is  a mark  of  high  rank,  or,  if  worn  by  an  inferior, 
that  he  is  in  the  service  of  one  of  the  highest  rank.  A new 
flag,  made  of  Japanese  crape,  was  carried  before  me.  This 
flag  is  the  first  foreign  banner  that  was  ever  carried  through 
this  great  city,  and  I mean  to  preserve  it  as  a precious  relic. 
The  distance  from  my  residence  to  the  Palace  was  over 
two  miles.  On  arriving  at  the  bridge  over  the  third  moat, 
or  ditch,  all  my  train  left  their  horses  and  norimono,  and 
proceeded  on  foot.  I continued  in  my  norimono,  and  was 
carried  over  three  moats,  and  through  as  mauy  fortified 
gateways,  up  to  the  gate  of  the  Palace  itself.  I was  re- 
ceived at  the  entrance  by  two  chamberlains,  who,  having 
‘knocked  head,’  conducted  me  to  an  apartment  where  I 
found  a chair  for  my  use.  Tea,  bon-bons,  and  other  re- 
freshments, were  often  offered  to  me.  A large  number  of 
the  princes  game  to  be  presented  to  me.  At  length  I was 


332 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


told  the  Emperor  was  ready  to  receive  me.  I passed  through 
a large  hall,  in  which  some  three  hundred  to  four  hundred 
of  the  high  nobles  of  Japan,  all  dressed  in  their  court 
dresses,  were  kneeling,  and  as  silent  and  as  motionless  as 
statues ; and  from  this  hall  I entered  the  audience-chamber. 
At  this  moment  a chamberlain  called  out,  in  a loud  voice, 
‘ Merrican  Embassador,’  and  the  Prince  of  Skiuano  threw 
himself  down  and  crawled  along  as  I walked  in.  Mr. 
lleusken,  my  secretary,  who  carried  the  President’s  letter, 
halted  to  the  entrance;  I advanced  up  the  room,  making 
three  bows  as  I proceeded,  and  halted  at  the  head  of  two 
lines  of  men,  who  were  prostrate  on  their  faces;  those  on  my 
right  were  the  five  members  of  the  Council  of  State,  with 
the  Prince  of  Bitchu  at  their  head  and  those  on  the  left 
were  three  brothers  of  the  Emperor. 

“His  Majesty  was  seated  on  a chair  placed  on  a dais, 
elevated  some  three  feet  above  the  floor  of  the  chamber.  lie 
was  dressed  in  yellow  silk,  and  wore  a black  lackered  cap 
that  utterly  defies  description.  After  a short  pause,  I made 
my  address  to  him  ; and,  after  a similar  pause,  he  replied  to 
me  in  a clear  and  pleasant  voice.  When  the  Emperor  had 
finished,  Mr.  Heusken  brought  the  President’s  letter  to  me. 
I removed  the  silk  cover  (striped,  red  and  white),  opened  the 
box,  and  displayed  the  writing  to  the  Prince  of  Bitchu,  who 
now  stood  up.  Then,  closing  the  box,  I handed  it  to  the 
Prince,  who  placed  it  on  a lackered  stand,  prepared  for  the 
purpose.  Mr.  Heusken  having  returned  to  his  place,  and 
the  Prince  being  again  prostrate,  the  Emperor  bowed  to  me, 
smiling  pleasantly  at  the  same  time.  This  ended  my  audi- 
ence, and  1 backed  out  of  the  room,  making  three  bows  as  1 
retired. 

“The  usual  dress  of  the  Japanese  nobles  is  of  silk;  but 
the  court  dress  is  made  of  a coarse  yellow  glass-cloth,  and 
for  a coronet  they  wear  a black  lackered  affair  that  looks  like 
a distracted  night-cap.  I did  not  see  a single  gem,  jewel,  or 


A BANQUET  OF  CEREMONY 


333 


ornament  of  any  kind,  on  the  person  of  the  Emperor,  or  on 
those  of  his  courtiers,  who  comprised  the  great  nobility  of 
Japan. 

“ From  the  audience-chamber  I was  taken  to  another  room, 
when  I found  the  five  great  Councillors  of  State,  who,  having 
been  presented  to  me,  congratulated  me  on  my  audience,  and 
expressed  their  wonder  and  astonishment  at  what  they  called 
my  ‘ greatness  of  heart.’  When  I asked  for  an  explanation, 
they  said  that  they  were  filled  with  admiration  to  see  me 
stand  erect,  look  the  awful  ‘Tycoon’  [ Taikun~\  in  the  face, 
speak  plainly  to  him,  hear  his  reply  — and  all  this  without 
any  trepidation,  or  any  ‘ quivering  of  the  muscles  of  the 
side.’  I write  all  this  to  let  you  see  that  the  Japanese  prin- 
ces understand  the  use  of  court  compliments.  I was  then 
shown  a present  of  fifteen  silken  robes  from  his  Majesty, 
and  was  taken  to  a room  where  a banquet,  set  out  on 
sixty  trays,  twelve  inches  high,  was  prepared  for  my  single 
stomach.  There  was  food  enough  for  one  hundred  hungry 
men ! 

“You  must  know  that  the  dinner-trays  (like  the  breeches) 
are  a mark  of  rank  in  Japan;  and  the  rank  indicated  by  the 
height  of  the  trays,  which  vary  from  three  to  twelve  inches 
in  height.  Again,  if  the  trays  are  lackered  it  diminishes  the 
honor  connected  with  the  actual  height  of  the  tray,  for  it 
indicates  that  it  can  be  used  on  another  occasion  ; but  if  it 
be  made  of  unpainted  cypress  wood,  the  honor  is  complete, 
for  it  says,  as  plain  as  words  can  do,  ‘ You  are  so  sublime  in 
your  rank  that  no  one  can  dare  to  eat  from  a tray  that  you 
have  used ! ’ My  attention  was  particularly  called  both  to 
the  height  of  the  trays,  and  to  the  flattering  fact,  that,  ‘ by 
a special  edict,’  they  were  made  of  unvarnished  wood.  You 
must  know  that  this  same  dinner  had  been  the  subject  of 
grave  discussion,  both  in  Shimoda  and  in  Yedo.  They  were 
very  anxious  that  T should  eat  at  the  Palace.  I replied  that 
I would  do  so  cheerfully,  provided  a person  or  persons  of 


334 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


suitable  rank  would  eat  with  me ; but  said  that  self-respect 
would  forbid  my  eating  at  a table  where  my  host  or  his 
representative  declined  to  sit  down.  When  I had  admired 
the  very  neat  arrangement  of  the  banquet,  I was  again  asked 
to  sit  down.  I then  said,  ‘ Say  to  his  Majesty  that  I thank 
him  for  his  offered  entertainment.’  At  last  the  whole  affair 
was  sent  to  my  quarters,  where  I distributed  it  among  my 
Sliimoda  followers. 

“ After  the  exhibition  of  the  dinner  I was  recouducted  to 
the  room  I first  entered,  and,  after  I had  drank  of  the  cele- 
brated ‘ powdered  tea,’  I left,  being  conducted  to  the  entrance 
by  the  two  chamberlains,  who  knocked  head  with  all  the 
force  that  was  due  to  one  who  had  ‘ seen  the  king,  and  yet 
lived.’  By  the  way,  I forgot  to  state  that  the  old  formula  of 
an  audience,  which  was  1 kneel  down,’  ‘ knock  head,  so  that 
the  by-stauders  can  hear  your  skull  crack,’  if  it  ever  did  exist 
at  the  court  at  Yedo,  was  not  used  in  my  case.  A faint 
request  was  made  to  me,  at  Shimoda,  that  I would  kneel, 
but  I told  them  the  request  was  offensive,  and  must  not  be 
repeated.  That  ended  it. 

“ My  return  to  Shimoda  was  on  a steamer  presented  to  the 
Japanese  by  the  Dutch.” 

In  April,  1858,  Mr.  Harris  returned  again  to  Yedo, 
and  after  three  months  spent  in  arguing  with  the  Jap- 
anese that  it  would  be  impossible  for  them  to  maintain 
their  policy  of  isolation,  he  succeeded  in  negotiating 
a new  treaty.  By  this  treaty,  the  port  of  Kanagawa, 
present  Yokohama,  a suburb  of  Yedo,  was  substituted 
for  Shimoda  as  a place  for  American  trade  and  resi- 
dence; and  in  1860,  Hiogo,  the  harbor  of  the  most 
commercial  city  of  Osaka,  was  also  to  be  opened  to 
them.  American  residents  were  to  enjoy  religious 
freedom,  and  the  privilege  of  direct  trade  with  the  Jap- 
anese merchants.  The  right  to  have  an  ambassador 


TREATIES 


335 


resident  at  Yedo  was  also  included;  a position  since 
filled  by  Mr.  Harris  himself. 

Within  a few  weeks  after  the  negotiation  of  this 
treaty,  Lord  Elgin,  British  commissioner  to  China  and 
Japan,  arrived  at  Shimoda  with  a considerable  British 
squadron.  Mr.  Harris  went  on  board  his  ship,  and 
accompanied  him  to  the  Bay  of  Yedo.  On  the  20th 
of  August,  a treaty  was  signed  with  the  Japanese  by 
Lord  Elgin,  on  the  basis  of  the  American  treaty.  It 
contained  the  additional  provision,  — of  which  we  also 
have  the  benefit  to  render  the  clause  of  our  treaty 
giving  us  all  privileges  bestowed  on  other  nations,  — 
that  no  export  duty  should  be  charged  higher  than 
twenty  per  cent;  certain  articles,  including  cotton  and 
woollen  goods,  to  be  admitted  at  five  per  cent.  On  the 
9th  of  October,  a similar  treaty  was  signed  with  Baron 
Gros,  who  had  visited  Yedo  as  French  commissioner. 
Similar  privileges,  it  is  understood,  are  granted  to  the 
Dutch  and  Russians. 

With  the  signing  of  these  treaties  the  Japanese  au- 
thorities may  be  considered  as  having  yielded  the  point 
of  the  re-establishment  of  foreign  intercourse.  But  a 
great  difference  of  opinion  as  to  this  policy  is  under- 
stood still  to  exist  among  the  nobles  and  princes  of  the 
Empire ; and  it  is  not  impossible  that  these  concessions 
to  foreigners  may  lead  to  internal  commotions. 

By  one  of  the  articles  of  this  new  treaty,  negotiated 
by  Mr.  Harris,  the  Japanese  agreed  to  send  an  embassy 
to  Washington,  as  bearers  of  the  Emperor’s  ratifica- 
tion. The  fulfilment  of  this  promise  was  for  some 
time  delayed,  partly,  perhaps,  by  reason  of  the  cau- 
tion and  slowness  characteristic  of  Japanese  policy,  but 
principally,  it  is  supposed,  on  account  of  the  strong 


336 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


opposition  of  a large  party  of  the  princes  and  nobles  to 
the  new  scheme  of  foreign  intercourse.  At  length,  how- 
ever, on  the  27th  of  February,  1860,  the  ambassadors, 
three  in  number,  with  a suite  of  seventy-three  persons, 
embarked  on  board  the  United  States  steamer,  the  “ Pow- 
hatan,” the  American  government  having  undertaken 
to  convey  them  to  the  United  States,  and  to  carry  them 
back  again.  The  “ Kanrin-maru,  ” a war  steamer  of  two 
hundred  and  fifty  tons,  built  for  the  Japanese  by  the 
Dutch,  and  manned  with  a Japanese  crew  of  seventy 
men,  arrived  at  San  Francisco  on  the  14th  of  March, 
after  a passage  of  forty  days  from  the  Bay  of  Yedo,  to 
give  notice  of  the  approach  of  the  ambassadors.  The 
“Powhatan,”  after  touching  at  the  Sandwich  Islands, 
reached  Panama  on  the  25th  of  April.  The  ambassa- 
dors, with  their  attendants,  were  Immediately  conveyed 
on  the  railroad  to  Aspinwall,  where,  the  next  day,  they 
embarked  on  board  the  U.  S.  steamer  “Roanoke,”  lying 
there  to  receive  them.  The  “ Roanoke  ” sailed  for  New 
York,  but  on  arriving  at  Sandy  Hook  she  was  ordered 
to  Norfolk,  it  having  been  determined  that  the  embassy 
should  be  first  received  at  Washington.  At  Norfolk 
the  Japanese  were  transferred  to  the  steamer  “Phila- 
delphia.” They  reached  Washington  on  the  14th  of 
May,  disembarked  at  the  Navy  Yard,  and  were  then 
conveyed  to  quarters  which  had  been  provided  for 
them  at  Willard’s  Hotel.  To  protect  them  against 
imposition,  and  to  provide  for  their  comfort  and  se- 
curity, three  navy  officers  who  had  visited  Japan  were 
appointed  to  the  general  oversight  of  the  embassy  while 
it  remained  in  this  country.  On  the  14th  they  visited 
General  Cass,  the  Secretary  of  State,  and  on  the  next 
day  had  a formal  audience  from  the  President.  Though 


The  Oi.d  and  the  New:  Junks;  The  New  Battleship  M ikusa 


A JAPANESE  EMBASSY 


337 


receiver!  as  ministers  plenipotentiary,  their  powers  ap- 
peared to  be  limited  to  an  exchange  of  the  ratifications 
of  the  treaty,  and  to  obtaining  information  as  to  the 
relative  value  of  Japanese  and  foreign  coins,  — a point 
which  still  remained  unsettled  in  Japan,  and  was  the 
occasion  of  much  complaint  on  the  part  of  the  foreign 
residents. 

The  Japanese  remained  in  Washington  till  the  8th  of 
June,  spending  their  time  in  visits  to  the  various  public 
buildings,  and  a good  deal  of  it  in  shopping,  for  which 
many  of  them  seemed  to  have  a great  fancy.  After 
passing  through  Baltimore,  where  they  remained  one 
night  only,  they  spent  a week  in  Philadelphia,  where 
the  Mint  and  its  processes  were  special  objects  of  in- 
terest. From  Philadelphia  they  went  on  to  New  York, 
where  they  were  received  at  the  Battery  by  an  escort  of 
five  or  six  thousand  men  of  the  New  York  militia,  and 
conveyed  through  an  immense  crowd  to  the  quarters 
which  had  been  provided  for  them  at  the  Metropolitan 
Hotel.  Here  they  remained  for  two  weeks,  and  on  the 
1st  of  July  embarked  on  board  the  United  States  steam- 
frigate  “Niagara,”  to  return  to  Japan  by  the  Cape  of 
Good  Hope,  being  thus  the  first  of  their  nation  to  make 
the  circumnavigation  of  the  globe. 

The  time  of  their  stay  in  this  country  was  limited 
by  express  orders  brought  with  them  from  Japan,  and 
they  declined  the  numerous  invitations  which  they  re- 
ceived to  visit  other  cities,  and  also  an  excursion  which 
the  government  had  planned  to  the  Falls  of  Niagara. 
The  short  time  they  had  to  spend  was  no  doubt  more 
advantageously  employed  by  restricting  their  observa- 
tions to  two  or  three  places.  Of  the  seventy-six  per- 
sons, of  which  the  embassy  and  its  suite  were  composed, 

vol.  ii.  — 22 


338 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


forty-six  filled  the  position  of  attendants  or  servants  to 
the  remaining  twenty,  though  some  of  them,  directly 
attached  to  the  person  of  the  three  ambassadors,  were 
far  above  the  rank  of  ordinary  menials.  The  three 
ambassadors,  though  they  bore  the  title  of  princes, 
were  understood  not  to  belong  to  the  small  class  of 
hereditary  nobles,  hut  to  owe  their  titles  to  the  posi- 
tions which  they  hold  in  the  Emperor’s  service.  Among 
the  seventeen  persons  next  in  rank  to  the  ambassadors 
were  a treasurer,  having  charge  of  the  finances  of  the 
embassy,  — though,  except  as  to  such  purchases  as  they 
made,  this  office  was  a sinecure ; a marshal,  so  to  speak, 
charged  with  oversight  and  government  of  the  servants ; 
several  secretaries,  interpreters,  and  doctors,  and  others 
who  might  be  called  attaches.  There  was  no  priest  or 
chaplain,  nor  any  appearance  of  any  formal  worship. 
The  three  ambassadors  affected  a good  deal  of  reserve ; 
the  others  were  inclined  to  sociability;  but  their  igno- 
rance of  the  language,  and  the  necessity  that  all  com- 
munications should  undergo  a double  interpretation 
from  English  to  Dutch,  and  then  into  Japanese,  or 
vice  versa , was  a great  obstacle  to  the  communication 
of  ideas. 

In  New  York,  besides  their  visits  to  public  places 
and  institutions,  the  more  curious  of  the  Japanese  were 
taken  to  visit  a number  of  large  manufactories  of  various 
kinds,  in  several  of  which  they  exhibited  a good  deal  of 
interest.  They  made  a good  many  purchases,  and  re- 
ceived a good  many  presents,  the  manufacturers  of 
various  articles  hoping  in  this  way  to  open  a market  for 
their  wares  in  Japan. 

Though  a good  deal  pressed  upon  at  times  by  over- 
curious  crowds,  their  reception  was  everywhere  of  the 


TRADE  AT  THE  OPEN  PORTS 


339 


most  kindly  character,  and  can  hardly  fail  to  leave  upon 
them  a strong  impression  of  American  good-will. 

Since  the  negotiation  of  the  recent  treaties,  a number 
of  Americans  and  Englishmen,  agents  of  mercantile 
houses,  have  established  themselves  at  the  open  ports. 
A few  cargoes  of  Japanese  products  have  been  shipped, 
hut  the  trade  is  still  in  its  infancy,  and  the  extent  to 
which  it  can  be  carried  remains  very  problematical. 


APPENDIX 


APPENDIX 

Note  A 

(From  Clement’s  “ Handbook  of  Modern  Japan  ”) 


PROVINCES  BY  CIRCUITS 


HE  following  list  gives  in  detail  the  divisions  of  Japan 
into  Provinces  ( Kuni ),  according  to  “ Circuits”  : 


Go-Kinai  (Five  Home  Provinces).  Yamashiro, 
Yamato,  Kawaclii,  Izumi  (or  Seushiu),  Scttsu  (or  Sesshiu). 

Tokaido  (Eastern  Sea  lioad).  Iga,  Ise,  Shima,  Owari, 
Mikawa,  Totomi,  Suruga,  Kai,  Izu,  Sagami,  Musashi, 
Awa  (or  Boshiu),  Kazusa,  Shimosa,  Hitachi. 

Tosando  (Eastern  Mountain  Road).  Omi,  Mino,  Hida, 
Shinano  (or  Shinshiu),  Kozuke  (or  Joshiu),  Shimozuke, 
Iwaki,  Iwashiro,  Rikuzen,  Rikuchu,  Mutsu,  Uzen,  Ugo. 

Hokurikudo  (North  Land  Road).  Wakasa,  Echizen,  Kaga, 
Noto,  Etchu,  Echigo,  Sado  Island. 

Sanindo  (Mountain  Shade  Road).  Tamba,  Tango,  Tajima, 
Inaba,  Hoki,  Izumo,  Iwami,  Old  Islands. 

Sanyodo  (Mountain  Sunlight  Road).  Harima  (or  Banshiu), 
Mimasaka,  Bizen,  Bitchii,  Bingo,  Aki,  Suwo,  Nagata  (or 
Choshiu). 

Nankaidd  (Southern  Sea  Road).  Kii  (or  Kishiu),  Awaji 
Island,  Awa,  Sanuki,  Iyo,  Tosa  (or  Toshiu),  of  which 
the  last  four  are  in  the  island  of  Shikoku. 

Saikaidd  (Western  Sea  Road).  Chikuzen,  Chikugo,  Buzen, 
Bungo,  Hizen,  Higo,  Hyuga,  Osumi,  Satsuma  (or  Sas- 
shiu),  Iki  Island,  Tsushima  Island,  of  which  all  except 
the  last  two  are  on  the  island  of  Kyushiu. 


344 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


Hokkaido  (Northern  Sea  Road).  Oshima,  Shiribeshi,  Iburi, 
Ishikari,  Hitaka,  Tokachi,  Teshio,  Kushiro,  Nernuro, 
Kitanh  (all  on  the  island  of  Yezo),  and  Chishima,  or  the 
Kurile  Islands. 

Ryukyu  (Loo  Choo  or  Lew  Chew)  Islands. 

Note  B 

BIBLIOGRAPHY 

Murray:  “The  Story  of  Japan”  in  the  “Stories  of  the 
Nations”  series. 

Bird  (Miss)  : “ Unbeaten  Tracks  in  Japan.” 

Griffis:  “Japanese  Fairy  World”;  “Japan  in  History, 
Folk-lore  and  Art”;  “Honda  the  Samurai”;  “The 
Religions  of  Japan.” 

Hearn:  All  his  books,  but  especially  “Glimpses  of  Un- 
familiar Japan”  (2  vols.)  ; “Kokoro”;  “Japan  — An 
Interpretation.” 

Lowell  : “ Noto,  An  Unexplored  Corner  of  Japan  ” ; “ The 
Soul  of  the  Far  East.” 

Nitobe  : “ Bushido  — The  Soul  of  Japan.” 

Gulick  : “ The  Evolution  of  the  Japanese.” 

Mitford:  “Tales  of  Old  Japan.” 

Knox:  “Japanese  Life  in  Town  and  Country.” 

Bacon  (Miss):  “Japanese  Girls  and  Women”  (illustrated 
edition). 

Scherer:  “Young  Japan.” 

Knapp:  “Feudal  and  Modern  Japan.” 

Siiigemi  : “A  Japauese  Boy.” 

Bramhai.l  (Mrs.)  : “The  Wee  Ones  of  Japan.” 
Ciiaplin-Ayrton  (Mrs.)  : “Child  Life  in  Japan.” 

Riordan  and  Takayanagi  : “ Sunrise  Stories.” 

Ozaki  (Miss):  “The  Japanese  Fairy  World.” 

Morse  : “ Japauese  Homes.” 

Hartsiiorne  (Miss)  : “Japan  and  her  People”  (2  vols.). 


Niuomiiashi,  Tokyo 


APPENDIX 


345 


Reed  : “Japan  ” (2  vols.). 

Dickson  : ‘ 1 Japan.  ” 

Aston  : “ History  of  Japanese  Literature.” 

Chamberlain  : “ Classical  Poetry  of  the  Japanese.” 
McClatchie  : “Japanese  Plays.” 

Maclay:  “ Mito  Yashiki.” 

Kitchin  : “ Parli,  the  Last  of  the  Missionaries.” 

Grcy:  “A  Captive  of  Love.” 

Suyematsu  : “ Genji  Monogatari.” 

Purcell:  “ A Suburb  of  Yedo.” 

Harris  (Mrs.) : “ Log  of  a Japanese  Journey.” 

Dickins:  “ Chiushingnra,  the  Loyal  League.” 

Asakawa  : “ Early  Institutional  Life  of  Japan.” 

Mackay : “From  Far  Formosa.” 

Campbell:  “Formosa  under  the  Dutch.” 

Davidson:  “The  Island  of  Formosa.” 

Batchelor:  “ The  Ainu  of  Japan”;  “ The  Ainu  and  their 
Folk-lore.” 

Kinos[ii]ita  : “The  Past  and  Present  of  Japanese  Com- 
merce.” 

Huish  : “ Japan  and  its  Art.” 

Regamey:  “Japan  in  Art  and  Industry.” 

Okakura  : “ The  Ideals  of  the  East.” 

Dresser:  “Japan,  Its  Architecture,  Art  and  Art  Manu- 
factures.” 

Jarves:  “ A Glimpse  at  the  Art  of  Japan.” 

Hartman  : “ Japanese  Art.” 

Dick  : “ Arts  and  Crafts  of  Old  Japan.” 

Anderson  : “ The  Pictorial  Arts  of  Japan.” 

Audsley  and  Bowes:  “ Keramic  Art  of  Japan.” 

Alcock:  “ The  Capital  of  the  Tycoon  ” (2  vols.). 

Adams  : “ History  of  Japan  ” (2  vols.). 

Black  : “ Young  Japan  ” (2  vols.). 

Dixon:  “The  Land  of  the  Morning.” 

Mossman  : “New  Japan.” 


34G 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


Hecr:  “The  Narrative  of  a Japanese”  (2  vols.). 

Official:  “History  of  the  Empire  of  Japan”;  “Japanese 
Education.”  “ Ivojiki,”  — English  version  by  Chamber- 
lain,  Vol.  X,  Appendix,  of  the  “ Transactions  of  the  Asiatic 
Society  of  Japan.” 


Note  C 

USE  OF  FIRE-ARMS  IN  THE  EAST 

Even  the  inhabitants  of  southern  India,  notwithstanding 
the  long  intercourse  carried  on  with  them  by  Arab  traders 
from  the  Persian  Gulf  and  the  Red  Sea,  aud  the  invasions 
of  their  country  by  Mahometans  from  the  north,  seem  to 
have  been  mainly  indebted  for  their  first  possession  of  fire- 
arms to  Europeans ; as  witness  the  following  extract  from 
Rickard  Eden’s  translation,  first  published  in  1576,  of  the 
“Navigations  and  Voyages  of  Lewis  Vertomanus,  Gentle- 
man, of  the  city  of  Rome,  to  the  Regions  of  Arabia,  Egypt, 
Persia,  Syria,  Ethiopia,  and  East  India,  both  within  and 
without  the  river  Gauges.  &c.,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord, 
1503,”  contemporary,  that  is,  with  the  earliest  Portuguese 
expeditions:  “Entering  into  the  city  of  Calicut,  we  found 
there  two  Christians,  born  in  the  city  of  Milan ; the  one 
named  John  Maria,  the  other  Peter  Antonio.  These  were 
jewellers,  aud  came  from  Portugal  with  the  king’s  license  to 
buy  precious  stones.  When  I had  found  these  men  I re- 
joiced more  than  I am  able  to  express.  At  our  first  meet- 
ing them,  seeing  to  be  white  men  (for  we  went  naked,  after 
the  manner  of  the  inhabitants),  I asked  them  if  they  were 
Christians.  They  said  yea.  Then  said  I that  I was  also  a 
Christian,  by  the  grace  of  God.  Then,  taking  me  by  my 
hand,  they  brought  me  to  their  house,  where,  for  joy  of  our 
meeting,  we  could  scarcely  satisfy  ourselves  with  tears, 
embracing  and  kissing ; for  it  seemed  now  to  me  a strange 
thing  to  hear  men  speak  mine  own  lauguage,  or  to  speak  it 


APPENDIX 


317 


myself.  Shortly  after,  I asked  them  if  they  were  in  favor 
with  the  king  of  Calicut.  We  are,  said  they,  in  great  favor 
with  him,  and  very  familiar.  Then  again  1 asked  them 
what  the}-  were  minded  to  do.  We  desire,  said  they,  to 
return  to  our  country,  but  we  know  not  the  means  how. 
Then,  said  I,  return  the  same  way  that  you  came.  Nay, 
said  they,  that  may  not  be ; for  we  are  fled  from  the  Portu- 
gal, because  we  have  made  many  pieces  of  great  ordinance 
and  other  guns  for  the  king  of  Calicut,  and  therefore  we 
have  good  cause  to  fear ; and  now  especially,  for  that  the 
navy  of  Portugal  will  shortly  be  here.  I answered  that  if  I 
might  escape  to  the  city  of  Canouor,  I doubted  not  but  that 
I would  get  their  pardon  of  the  governor  of  the  navy.  There 
is  small  hope  of  mercy,  said  they,  we  are  so  famous  and 
well  known  to  many  other  kings  in  the  way,  which  favor  the 
Portugals,  and  lay  wait  to  take  us.  In  which  their  talk  I 
perceived  how  fearful  a thing  is  a guilty  conscience,  and 
called  to  remembrance  the  saying  of  the  poet : 

‘ Multa  male  timeo,  qui  feci  multa  proterve.’ 

That  is,  ‘ I fear  much  evil  because  I have  done  much  evil.’ 
For  they  had  not  only  made  many  such  pieces  of  artillery 
for  the  infidels,  to  the  great  damage  of  Christians,  and  con- 
tempt of  the  holy  name  of  Christ  and  his  religion,  but  had 
also  taught  the  idolaters  both  the  making  and  use  of  them  ; 
and  at  my  being  there  I saw  them  give  a model  or  mould  to 
certain  idolaters,  whereby  they  might  make  brazen  pieces, 
of  such  bigness  that  one  of  them  may  receive  the  charge  of  a 
hundred  and  five  tankards  (cantoros)  of  powder.  At  the 
same  time,  also,  there  was  a Jew,  which  had  made  a very 
fair  brigantine,  and  four  great  pieces  of  artillery  of  iron. 
But  God  shortly  afterwards  gave  him  his  due  reward;  for, 
when  he  went  to  wash  him  in  the  river,  he  was  drowned.” 
Nor  did  the  two  Christians  escape  much  better.  The 
Portuguese  commander  agreed  to  pardon  them ; but,  in 


348 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


attempting  to  escape  to  him,  they  were  killed.  Maffei,  in 
his  Indian  History,  refers  to  the  aid  which  the  native  princes 
derived  from  these  and  other  Christian  renegadoes. 


Note  D 

FERNAM  MENDEZ  PINTO 

The  ill  fortune  of  which  Pinto  complained  as  having  pur- 
sued him  through  life  did  not  spare  him  even  after  he  was 
laid  in  the  grave,  the  narrative  of  his  adventures  which  he 
left  behind  him  having  been  assailed  by  the  wits  and  critics 
with  hardly  less  ferocity  than  poor  Pinto  himself  was  while 
alive  by  the  corsairs,  infidels,  and  barbarians,  with  whom  he 
came  in  contact.  He  is  indeed  chiefly  known  to  English 
readers  by  an  ill-natured  fling  of  Congreve,  who,  iu  his 
“Love  for  Love,”  makes  one  of  his  characters  address 
another  in  those  oft-quoted  words : “ Ferdinand  Mendez 
Pinto  was  but  a type  of  thee,  thou  liar  of  the  first  magni- 
tude ! ” It  is  said  also  that  Cervantes,  three  or  four  years 
before  whose  death  Pinto’s  book  was  published,  speaks  of 
him  somewhere  as  the  “ prince  of  liars.”  I have  not  been 
able  to  find  the  passage ; but  likely  enough  Cervantes  might 
have  been  a little  vexed  to  find  his  “ Persiles  and  Sigis- 
munda,”  a romance,  under  the  guise  of  a book  of  travels, 
first  published  about  the  time  with  Pinto’s  book,  so  much 
outdone  by  what  claimed  to  be  a true  narrative  of  real 
adventures. 

As  Pinto,  however,  in  spite  of  all  his  ill  luck,  found,  in 
writing  his  memoirs,  some  topics  of  consolation,  so  also  his 
character  as  an  author  and  a narrator  has  by  no  means  been 
left  entirely  in  the  lurch.  Though  little  read  now,  he  has 
enjoyed,  in  his  day,  a popularity  such  as  few  authors  attain 
to.  To  the  first  edition  of  his  “ Peregrinations,”  in  the 
original  Portuguese,  succeeded  others  in  1678,  1711,  and 
1725 ; and  second,  third,  and  fourth  editions  are  compli- 
ments which  Portugal  very  rarely  pays  to  her  authors.  A 


APPENDIX 


349 


Spanish  translation  appeared  at  Madrid  in  1620,  in  which, 
however,  great  and  very  unwarrantable  liberties  were  taken 
by  the  translator.  A French  translation  was  published  at 
Paris  in  1628,  and  an  English  translation  in  1663.  To  the 
Spanish  and  French  translations  defences  of  Pinto’s  veracity 
are  prefixed,  and  both  passed  through  several  editions. 
Purchas,  who  gives  a synopsis  of  that  part  of  Pinto’s  book 
relating  to  China  and  Japan,  strongly  defends  his  credibility, 
observing  that  lie  little  spares  his  own  company  and  nation, 
but  often  and  eagerly  lays  open  their  vices.  “ I find  in  him,” 
says  Purchas,  “ little  boasting,  except  of  other  nations, 
none  at  all  of  himself,  but  as  if  he  intended  to  express  God’s 
glory,  and  man’s  merit  of  nothing  but  misery.  And,  how- 
ever it  seems  incredible  to  remember  such  infinite  particulars 
as  this  book  is  full  of,  yet  an  easy  memory  holdeth  strong 
impressions  of  good  and  bad,  especially  new-whetted,  filed, 
furbushed,  with  so  many  companions  in  misery,  their  best 
music  in  their  chains  and  wanderings  being  the  mutual  re- 
counting of  things  seen,  done,  and  suffered.  More  marvel 
is  it,  if  a liar,  that  he  should  not  forget  himself  and  contra- 
dict his  own  relations. 

“I  would  not  have  an  author  rejected  for  fit  speeches 
framed  by  the  writer,  in  which  many  historians  have  taken 
liberty ; nor  if  sometimes  he  doth  mendacia  dicere  (say  false 
things),  so  as  that  he  doth  not  mentiri  (lie);  as  I will  not  sware 
but  of  himself  he  might  mistake,  and  by  others  be  misled. 
The  Chinese  might,  in  relating  their  rarities  to  him,  enlarge 
and  de  magnis  majora  loqui  (exaggerate  things  really  great), 
so  as  he  still  might  be  religious  in  a just  and  true  delivery  of 

what  himself  hath  seen,  and  belei  not  his  own  eyes 

All  China  authors,  how  diversified  in  their  lines,  yet  all 
concur  in  a certain  centre  of  Admiranda  Sinarum  (admirable 
things  of  the  Chinese),1  which  if  others  have  not  so  largely 

1 The  title  of  a work  ascribed  to  Valignani,  the  same  visitor  of  the 
Jesuit  missions  in  the  East,  repeatedly  mentioned  in  the  text,  vol.  i, 
pp.  100  et  set/.,  and  whom  Purchas  elsewhere  calls  the  “ great  Jesuit.” 


350 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


related  as  this,  they  may  thank  God  they  paid  not  so  dear  a 
price  to  see  them ; and,  for  me,  I will  rather  believe,  where 
reason  evicts  not,  ejectione  firma  (with  a firm  ejection),  than 
seek  to  see  at  the  author’s  rate ; and  if  he  hath  robbed  the 
altars  of  truth,  as  he  did  those  of  the  Calumplay  idols,  yet, 
in  Pekin  equity,  we  will  not  cut  off  his  thumbs  (according  to 
Nanquin  rigor),  upon  bare  surmise,  without  any  evidence 
against  him.” 

The  countries  in  which  Pinto’s  adventures  chiefly  lay,  still 
remain,  for  the  most  part,  very  little  known ; but  the  more 
they  have  been  explored,  the  more  has  the  general  correct- 
ness of  Pinto’s  statements  been  admitted.  The  editor  of  the 
great  Freuch  collection,  “ Anuales  des  Voyages,”  who  gives 
a full  abstract  of  Piuto,  remarks  that,  having  had  occasion, 
in  preparing  the  volume  of  that  work  on  China,  to  consult 
all  accessible  works  about  that  country,  he  had  been  more 
and  more  confirmed  in  his  opinion  of  the  reality  of  Pinto’s 
adventures  and  the  general  correctness  of  his  memory. 
Remusat,  the  eminent  Chinese  scholar,  cites  Pinto  as  good 
authority  for  facts,  and  it  was,  I believe,  by  his  procure- 
ment, or  that  of  the  “ Soci^te  Asiatique,”  that  the  French 
translation  of  uis  travels  was  reprinted  at  Paris  in  1830. 

Note  E 

EARLIEST  ENGLISH  AND  DUTCH  ADVENTURERS  IN  THE 
EAST GOA 

Prior  to  the  first  Dutch  aud  English  India  voyages,  both 
Englishmen  and  Dutchmen  had  reached  India,  some  bjr  way 
of  Lisbon  and  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  others  over  land. 
Piuto  speaks  of  Christians  of  various  nations  as  among  the 
adventurers  with  whom  he  acted.  Hackluyt  gives  (Vol.  II)  a 
letter  written  by  Thomas  Stevens,  an  English  Jesuit,  dated 
in  1579,  at  Goa,  which  he  had  reached  by  way  of  Lisbon  and 
the  Cape  of  Good  Hope.  This  curious  letter  was  addressed 


APPENDIX 


351 


by  Stevens,  who  was  attached  to  that  very  seminary  of  St 
Paul  (or  the  Holy  Faith),  of  which  we  have  had  occasion  to 
make  mention,  to  his  father  in  England.  Ilackluyt  also 
gives  in  the  same  volume  some  very  interesting  memorials  of 
the  adventures  of  John  Newbury,  who,  attended  by  Ralph 
Fitch,  Story,  a painter,  Leeds,  a jeweller,  and  others,  was 
sent  over  laud  in  1583,  simultaneously  with  the  first  English 
attempts  at  exploration  aud  settlement  in  North  America,  by 
some  London  merchants  of  the  Turkey  company,  as  bearer 
of  letters  from  Queen  Elizabeth  to  Zelabdim  Echabar,  king 
of  Cambia  (Ackbar,  the  Great  Mogul)  and  to  the  king  of 
China  — both  which  letters,  proposing  trade  and  commerce, 
Hackluyt  gives  at  length.  Newbury  proceeded  by  way  of 
Ormus,  which  he  had  visited  before,  aud  where  he  found 
merchants  of  almost  all  nations,  not  Portuguese  only,  but 
Frenchmen,  Flemings,  Germans,  Hungarians,  Greeks,  Ar- 
menians, Turks,  Arabs,  Jews,  Persians,  Muscovites,  and 
especially  Italians,  who  seem  by  this  time  to  have  recovered 
a threat  share  of  the  trade  to  the  East.  By  one  of  these 
Italians  Newbury  and  his  company  were  accused  as  spies  of 
Don  Antonio  (the  claimant  as  against  Philip  II,  of  the 
Portuguese  throne,  and  at  that  time  a refugee  in  England). 
The  fact  also  that  Drake,  in  his  recent  voyage  round  the 
world,  had,  while  at  the  Moluccas,  fired  two  shots  at  a Por- 
tuguese galleon,  was  alleged  against  them.  They  were  sent 
prisoners  to  the  viceroy  at  Goa ; but,  by  the  good  offices 
of  the  English  Jesuit,  Stevens,  above-mentioned,  and  of  John 
Huigen  Van  Linschoteu,  a Dutchman  in  the  service  of  the 
archbishop,  they  were  released  on  giving  sureties  not  to 
depart  without  leave  of  the  viceroy,  which  sureties  they  pro- 
cured by  placing  goods  in  the  hands  of  certain  parties  who 
became  bound  for  them. 

Story,  the  painter,  had  indeed  previously  procured  his 
discharge  by  joining  the  Jesuits  of  St.  Paul,  where  he  was 
admitted  as  a probationer,  and  was  employed  in  painting 


352 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


the  church.  The  others,  finding  that  the  viceroy  would  not 
discharge  their  sureties,  left  secretly,  or,  as  Fitch  expresses 
it,  “ran  from  thence,”  April,  1585,  and,  passing  to  Golconda, 
travelled  north  to  Agra,  then  the  capital  of  the  Great  Mogul. 
Here  Leeds,  the  jeweller,  entered  into  the  Mogul’s  service, 
who  gave  him  “a  house,  five  slaves,  and  every  da}’  six  S.  S. 
(qu.  sequins?)  iu  money.”  Newbury  went  from  Agra  to 
Lahore,  expecting  to  go  thence  to  Persia,  and,  by  way  of 
Aleppo  and  Constantinople,  to  reach  England ; and  he  sent 
Fitch  meanwhile  to  Bengal  and  Pegu,  promising  to  meet  him 
in  Bengal  in  two  years  in  a ship  from  England.  Fitch  passed 
on  to  Benares,  and  theuce  to  Bengal,  and  November  28,  1586, 
sailed  for  Pegu,  whence  the  next  year  he  proceeded  to  Ma- 
lacca. Returning  again,  in  1588,  to  Pegu,  he  went  thence 
to  Bengal  in  the  following  November;  whence,  in  February, 
1589,  he  took  shipping  for  Cochin,  touching  at  Ceylon  on  the 
way,  a “brave  island,”  where  he  spent  five  days.  At  Cochin 
he  stayed  eight  months  before  he  could  get  a passage  to  Goa. 
From  Goa  he  proceeded  to  Ormus,  whence,  by  way  of  Ba- 
sora,  Mosul,  and  Aleppo,  he  reached  England  April  29,  1591. 

Linschoten,  mentioned  above,  who  had  arrived  at  Goa  in 
1583,  from  Lisbon,  as  one  of  the  archbishop’s  suite,  returned 
to  Holland  in  1589,  where  he  published  his  travels  in  1595, 
— the  first  Dutch  account  of  the  East.  From  him  we  learn 
that  Story,  the  painter,  after  the  departure  of  his  compan- 
ions, grew  sick  of  the  cloister  of  St.  Paul,  and,  as  he  had 
not  yet  taken  the  vows,  left  and  set  up  as  a painter  iu  Goa, 
where  he  had  abundant  employment,  and,  “in  the  end,  mar- 
ried a mestizo’s  daughter  of  the  town,  so  that  he  made  his 
account  to  stay,  there  while  he  lived,” — the  first  permanent 
English  resident  in  Ilindoostan. 

There  is  in  the  “Asiatic  Journal,”  for  December,  1838,  a 
very  striking  description  of  the  present  ruinous  state  of  the 
once  splendid  and  magnificent  city  of  Goa.  It  has  been 
abandoned  for  Pongi,  now  known  as  New  Goa,  six  miles 


A Moduun  Street  Scene  in  Tokyo 


APPENDIX 


353 


nearer  the  sea,  and  the  present  seat  of  the  shrunken  Portu- 
guese viceroyalty.  The  only  inhabitants  of  Old  Ooa  are  a 
few  hundred  monks,  nuns,  and  their  attendants,  attached  to 
the  splendid  churches  and  monasteries  still  standing,  among 
which  towers  conspicuous  the  church  of  the  Jesuits,  in  a 
beautiful  chapel  attached  to  which  is  the  monument  of  St. 
Francis  Xavier.  His  body,  removed  thither  from  the  college 
of  St.  Paul,  in  which  it  was  first  placed,  reposes  upon  a 
sarcophagus  or  bier  of  Italian  marble,  faced  with  bronzes, 
representing  his  missionary  labors,  and  enclosed  in  a shrine 
of  brass  and  silver.  It  is  alleged  still  to  be  in  as  good 
preservation  as  ever,  and  is  occasionally  exhibited  iu  public. 
The  last  of  these  exhibitions  was  iu  1783. 

Note  F 

JAPANESE  DARING  AND  ADVENTURE  EXTERIOR  TO  TIIE  LIMITS 

OF  JAPAN 

The  same  Davis  who  had  been  Houtman’s  pilot  in  the 
first  voyage  to  the  East  Indies  sailed  from  England  in  1604, 
as  master  of  the  “ Tiger,”  a ship  of  two  hundred  and  forty  tons. 
While  on  her  course  from  Bantam  to  Batavia,  the  “Tiger” 
encountered  a little  junk  of  seventy  tous,  with  ninety  Japa- 
nese on  board,  “ most  of  them  in  too  gallant  a habit  for 
sailors.”  They  had  left  home,  as  it  turned  out,  in  a larger 
vessel,  which  had  been  “pirating  along  the  coast  of  China 
and  Cambodia,”  — much  the  same  business,  by  the  way,  in 
which  the  “Tiger”  was  herself  engaged,  — but,  having  lost 
their  vessel  by  shipwreck,  they  had  seized  upon  this  little 
junk,  laden  with  rice,  and  were  trying  to  reach  Japan  in  it. 
In  hopes  to  get  some  information  out  of  them,  they  were  en- 
tertained for  two  days  with  ‘ ‘ gifts  and  feasting  ” ; but,  at  the 
same  time,  their  junk  was  searched  for  treasure  which  might 
be  concealed  under  the  rice.  While  part  of  the  “ Tiger’s  ” men 
were  employed  in  this  search,  the  Japanese  made  a desperate 

VOL.  II.  — 23 


854 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


attempt  to  get  possession  of  that  ship.  Davis  himself  was 
killed  in  the  first  surprise,  but  the  Japanese  were  finally 
forced  into  the  cabin,  where,  by  breaking  down  a bulkhead, 
some  of  the  ship’s  guns,  loaded  with  bullets  and  case  shot, 
were  brought  to  bear  upon  them.  They  disdained  to  ask 
quarter,  and  all  perished  from  effects  of  the  shot  except  one, 
who  jumped  into  the  sea.  The  narrative  of  this  affair,  given 
by  Purchas  (Pilg. , Part  1,  p.  187),  and  apparently  written 
by  an  officer  of  the  “ Tiger,”  winds  up  as  follows : “ The 
Japanese  are  not  suffered  to  land  in  any  port  of  India  with 
weapons,  being  accounted  a people  so  desperate  and  daring 
that  they  are  feared  in  all  places  where  they  come.” 

In  conformity  to  this  character  of  the  Japanese  is  the 
account  given  by  Floris,  cape  merchant  of  the  “ Globe,”  an 
English  ship,  which  touched  at  Siam  in  1012,  while  perform- 
ing the  voyage  mentioned  Vol.  I,  p.  207  of  the  text.  A short 
time  previously,  two  hundred  and  eighty  Japanese,  the  slave- 
soldiers  of  a principal  Siamese  noble,  who  had  been  put  to 
death  by  the  royal  authority,  had  revenged  their  master  by 
seizing  on  the  king  of  Siam,  whom  they  compelled  to  sub- 
scribe to  such  terms  as  they  dictated,  ‘ ‘ after  which,  they 
had  departed  with  great  treasure,  the  Siamese  not  being  able 
to  right  themselves.”  1 

The  good  service  rendered  to  the  Portuguese  by  Japanese 
mercenaries  at  the  siege  of  Malacca,  in  1G06,  is  mentioned 
in  the  text,  Vol.  I,  p.  182.  It  appears,  from  a curious  tract 
concerning  the  Philippines,  preserved  by  Thevenot,  that  when 
De  Silva,  governor  of  those  islands,  undertook,  in  1608,  to 
drive  the  Dutch  from  the  Moluccas,  he  was  obliged  to  send 
to  Japan  for  saltpetre,  metal,  and  even  for  founders  to  cast 
cannon.  A body  of  Japanese  formed,  in  1619,  a part  of  the 
Dutch  garrison  in  their  fort  at  Jacatara  (named  about  that 

1 See  Satow’s  “ Notes  on  the  Intercourse  between  Japan  and  Siam 
in  the  Seventeenth  Century  ” in  the  Transactions  of  the  Asiatic  Society 
of  Japan.  — Edr. 


APPENDIX 


355 


time  Batavia),  while  besieged  by  the  natives  on  the  island,  and 
blockaded  at  the  same  time  by  an  English  squadron,  as  men- 
tioned Vol.  I,  p.  237  of  the  text.  Of  the  Japanese  settled  on 
the  island  of  Amboyna,  and  involved  with  the  English  in  the 
massacre  there,  mention  is  made  Vol.  I,  p.  240.  Haganaar, 
who  was  at  Cambodia  in  1 637,  found  among  the  inhabitants 
of  that  city  seventy  or  eighty  families  of  Japanese,  whom  he 
describes  as  not  daring  to  return  to  their  own  country,  with 
which,  however,  they  carried  on  trade,  by  means  of  Chinese 
ships.  They  were,  in  great  favor  with  the  king  of  Cambodia, 
to  whom  they  had  rendered  valiant  assistance  in  suppressing 
a dangerous  rebellion,  and  were  greatly  feared  by  the  other 
inhabitants  of  the  city,  whether  Chinese  or  Malays.  To  this 
day  one  of  the  channels  of  the  great  river  of  Cambodia  is 
known  as  “Japanese  river”  — a name  given,  indeed,  on 
some  maps,  to  the  main  river  itself,  aud  probably  taking  its 
origin  from  this  Japanese  colony. 

The  conquest  of  the  Lew  Chew  [Riukiu]  Islands,  by  the 
king  of  Satsuma,  took  place  about  1610;  and,  much  about 
the  same  time,  some  Japanese  made  an  establishment  on  the 
island  of  Formosa,  for  the  purpose  of  trading  with  the  Chi- 
nese ; but  in  this  they  were  soon  superseded  by  the  Dutch. 
The  narrative  of  Nuyts’  affair,  as  given  in  the  text  (Vol.  I, 
p.  252),  is  derived  from  a detailed  account  appended  in  “ Voy- 
ages au  Nord,”  Tom.  IV.,  to  Caron’s  Memoir,  addressed  to 
Colbert,  on  opening  an  intercourse  with  Japan;  but,  from  a 
paper  embodied  in  the  Voyage  of  Kechteren  (“  Voyages  des 
Indes,”  Tom.  V.),  and  written,  apparently,  in  1632,  by  a 
person  on  the  spot,  it  would  appear  that  the  conduct  of 
Nuyts,  instead  of  being  prompted  by  personal  antipathy,  was 
merely  an  attempt  to  exclude  the  Japanese  from  the  trade 
with  the  Chinese,  and  to  engross  it  for  the  Dutch  East  India 
Company;  “a  desire  good  in  itself,”  so  this  writer  ob- 
serves, ‘ ‘ but  which  should  have  been  pursued  with  greater 
precaution  and  prudence.” 


356 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


In  the  Chinese  writings,  the  Japanese  figure  as  daring 
pirates ; but,  as  the  appellation  bestowed  on  them  is  equally 
applied  to  other  eastern  and  southeastern  islanders,  it  is  not 
so  easy  to  say  to  whose  credit  or  discredit  the  exploits 
referred  to  by  these  Chinese  writers  actually  belong. 


APPENDIX 


357 


Note  G 


(From  Clement’s  “ Handbook  of  Modern  Japan  ”) 


LIST  OF  JAPANESE  YEAR  PERIODS  i 

The  names  of  these  periods  are  made  by  the  various  combinations  of  68 
Chinese  words  of  good  omen. 


Name. 

Japanese 

Era.- 

Christian 

Era. 

Name. 

Japanese 

Era.2 

Christian 

Era. 

Taikwa  . . 
Hakuchi  . . 
(Blank)  . . 
Sujaku  . . . 

Hakuho  . . 
Shucho . . . 
(Blank)  . . 
Daiho  [Taiho] 
Keiun  . . . 

Wado  . . . 

Reiki  . . . 
Yoro  . . , 
Jinki  . . . 
Tembio . . . 
Tembio  shoho 
Tembio  hoji  . 
Tembio  jingo  . 
Jingo  keiun  . 
Hoki  . . . 
Teno  . . . 
Enriaku  . . 
Daido  . . . 
Konin  . . . 
Tencho  . . . 
Jowa  . . . 

Kajo  . . . 
Ninju  . . . 
Saiko  . . . 
Ten-an  . . . 
Jogwan  . . 
Gwangio  . . 
Ninna  . . . 
Kwanipei  . . 
Sliotai  . . . 
Engi  . . . 
Encho  . . . 

Johei  . . . 
Tengio  . . . 
Tenriaku  . . 
Tentoku  . . 

Owa  .... 
Kobo  . . . 

1305 

1310 

1315-1331 

1332 

1332 

1316 

1347-1360 

1361 

1364 

1368 

1375 

1377 

1384 

1389 

1409 

1417 

1425 

1427 

1430 

1441 

1442 
1466 
1470 
1484 
1494 
1508 
1511 
1514 
1517 
1519 
1537 
1545 
1549 
1558 
1561 
1583 
1591 
1598 
1607 
1617 
1621 
1624 

645 

650 

655-671 

672 

672 

686 

687-700 

701 

704 

708 

715 

717 

724 

729 

749 

757 

765 

767 

770 

781 

782 
806 
810 
824 
834 
848 
851 
854 
857 
859 
877 
885 
889 
898 
901 
923 
931 
938 
947 
957 
961 
964 

Anna  . . . 
Tenroku  . . 
Ten-en  . . . 
Jogen  . . . 

Tengen  . . 
Eikwan  . . 
Kwanna  . . 

Eien  . . . 

Eiso  .... 
Shoriaku  . . 

Chotoku  . . 
Choho  . . . 
Kwanko  . . 
Chowa  . . . 
Kwannin  . . 
Ji-an  . . . 

Manju  . . . 
Chogen . . . 

Choriaku  . . 
Chokiu  . . . 

Kwantoku 
Eijo  .... 
Tengi  . . . 

Kohei  . . . 

Jiriaku  . . . 

Enkiu  . . . 
Joho  . . . 
Joriaku  . . 

Eiho  . . . 
Otoku  . . . 
Kwanji  . . . 
Kabo  . . . 

Eicho  . . 
Joloku  . . . 

Kowa  . . . 
Choji  . . . 
Kajo  . . . 
Tennin  . . . 
Ten-ei  . . . 

Eikiu  . . . 
Gen-ei  . . . 
Hoan  . . . 

1628 

1630 

1633 

1636 

1638 

1643 

1645 

1647 

1649 

1650 
1655 
1659 
1664 
1672 
1677 
1681 
1684 
1688 
1697 
1700 
1704 
1706 
1713 
1718 
1725 
1729 
1734 
1737 
1741 
1744 
1747 
1754 

1756 

1757 
1759 
1764 
17G6 
1768 
1770 
1773 
1778 
1780 

968 

970 

973 

976 

978 

983 

985 

987 

989 

990 
995 
999 

1004 

1012 

1017 

1021 

1024 

1028 

1037 

1040 

1044 

1046 

1053 

1058 

1065 

1069 

1074 

1077 

1081 

1084 

1087 

1094 

1096 

1097 
1099 
1104 
1106 
1108 
1110 
1113 
1118 
1120 

1 From  official  sources.  2 Beginning  GGO  n.  c. 


358 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


Note  G — Continued 
LIST  OF  JAPANESE  YEAR  PERIODS 


Name. 

Japanese 

Eba. 

Christian 

Era. 

Name. 

Japanese 

Eba. 

Christian 

Era. 

Tenji  . . . 

1784 

1124 

Ninji  . . . 

1900 

1240 

Daiji  . . . 

178G 

1126 

Kwangen  . 

1903 

1243 

Tenjo  . . . 

1701 

1131 

Iloji  . . . 

1907 

1247 

Chojo  . . . 

1702 

1132 

Kencho . . . 

1900 

1249 

Iloen  . . . 

1705 

1135 

Kogen  . . . 

1916 

1256 

Eiji  .... 

1801 

1141 

Shoka  . . . 

1917 

1257 

Koji  .... 

1802 

1142 

Sliogcn  . . . 

1919 

1259 

Ten-vo  . . . 

1804 

1144 

Bun-o  . . . 

1920 

1260 

Kiu-an  . . . 

1805 

1145 

Kocho  . . . 

1921 

1261 

Nimbio  . . . 

1811 

1151 

Bun-ei  . . . 

1924 

1264 

Kiuju  . . . 

1814 

1154 

Kenji  . . . 

1935 

1275 

Hogeu  . . . 

1816 

1156 

Koan  . . . 

1938 

1278 

Heiji  . . . 

1819 

1159 

Sho-o  . . . 

1948 

1288 

Eiriaku 

1820 

1160 

Einin  . . . 

1953 

1293 

Oho  .... 

1821 

1161 

Shoan  . . . 

1959 

1299 

Chokwan  . 

1823 

1163 

Kengen  . . 

1962 

1302 

Eiman  . . . 

1825 

1165 

Kagen  . . . 

1963 

1303 

Nin-an  . . . 

1826 

1166 

Toku}i  . . . 

1966 

1306 

Ka-o  . . . 

1829 

1169 

Enkio  . . . 

1968 

1308 

Jo-an  . . . 

1831 

1171 

Oeho  . . . 

1971 

1311 

Angen  . . . 

1835 

1175 

Showa  . . . 

1972 

1312 

Jisho  . . . 

1837 

1177 

Bumpo  . . . 

1977 

1317 

Yowa  . . . 

1841 

1181 

Gen-o  . . . 

1979 

1319 

Ju-ei  . . . 

1842 

1182 

Genko  . . . 

1981 

1321 

Genriaku  . . 

1844 

1184 

Shochu  . . . 

1984 

1324 

Bunji  . . . 

1845 

1185 

Eariaku  . . 

1986 

1326 

Kenkiu  . . 

1850 

1190 

Gentoku  . . 

1989 

1329 

Shoji  . . . 

1859 

1199 

ShokiofGenko] 

1992 

1332 

Kennin 

1861 

1201 

Kemmu  . . 

1994 

1334 

Genkiu  . . 

1864 

1204 

Rekio  . . . 

1998 

13381 

Ken-ei  . . . 

1866 

1206 

Koei  . . . 

2002 

1342 1 

Jogen  . . . 

1867 

1207 

Jowa  . . . 

2005 

1345  1 

Kenriaku  . . 

1871 

1211 

Kwan-o  . . 

2010 

13501 

Kempo  . . 

1873 

1213 

Bunna  . . . 

2012 

13521 

Jokiu  . . . 

1879 

1219 

Embun  . . . 

2016 

13561 

Jo-o  .... 

1882 

1222 

Koan  . . . 

2021 

13611 

Gennin  . . . 

•1884 

1224 

Joji  .... 

2022 

13621 

Karoku  . . 

1885 

1225 

Oan  .... 

2028 

13681 

Antei  . . . 

1887 

1227 

Eiwa  . . . 

2035 

13751 

Kwangi  . . 

1889 

1229 

Koreki  . . . 

2039 

13791 

Jo-ei  . . . 

1802 

1232 

Eitoku  . 

2041 

1381 1 

Tempuku  . . 

1893 

1233 

Shitoku  . . 

2044 

13841 

Bunriaku  . . 

1804 

1234 

Kakei  . . . 

2047 

13871 

Katei  . . . 

1895 

1235 

Koo  .... 

2049 

13891 

liiakunin  . . 

1808 

1238 

Engen  . . . 

1996 

1336  2 

En-o  . . . 

1800 

1239 

Kokoku  . . 

1999 

1339  2 

1 Northern  Dynasty. 


2 Southern  Dynasty. 


APPENDIX 


359 


Note  G — Continued 
iAST  OF  JAPANESE  YEAR  PERIODS 


Name. 

Japanp.se 

Era. 

Christian 

Era. 

Name. 

Japanese 

Era. 

Christian 

Era. 

Sholiei  . . . 

200G 

1340  1 

Kwan-ei 

2284 

1024 

Kcntoku  . . 

2030 

1370  l 

Sliolio  . . 

2304 

1044 

Bunchu  . . 

2032 

1372 1 

Kei-au  . . 

2308 

1648 

Tenju  . . . 

2035 

1375  1 

Jo-o  . . . 

2312 

1052 

Kowa  . . 

2041 

1381 1 

Meireki 

2315 

1655 

Genchu 

2044 

1384 1 

Manji  . . 

2318 

1058 

Meitoku  . . 

2050 

1390 

Kwambun 

2321 

1001 

O-ei  .... 

2054 

1394 

Empo  . . 

2333 

1673 

Sliocho  . . . 

2088 

1428 

Tenna  . . 

2341 

1681 

ICikio  . . . 

2089 

1429 

Jokio  . . 

2344 

1684 

Kakitsu  . . 

2101 

1441 

Genroku  . 

2348 

1688 

Bun-an  . . 

2104 

1444 

Ho-ei  . . 

2304 

1704 

Ilotoku 

2109 

1449 

Sliotoku 

2371 

1711 

Kotoku  . . 

2112 

1452 

Kiolio  . . 

2370 

1710 

Kosbo  . . . 

2115 

1455 

Gembun 

2390 

1730 

Choroku  . . 

2117 

1457 

Kwampo  . 

2401 

1741 

Kwansho  . . 

2120 

14G0 

Enkio  . . 

2404 

1744 

Bunslio  . . 

2120 

1400 

Kwan-cn  . 

2408 

1748 

O-nin  . . . 

2127 

1407 

Horeki  . . 

2411 

1751 

Bummei  . . 

2129 

1409 

Meiwa  . . 

2424 

1704 

Ckoko  . . . 

2147 

1487 

An-ei  . . 

2432 

1772 

Entoku  . . 

2149 

1489 

Temmei 

2441 

1781 

Mei-o  . . . 

2152 

1492 

Kwansei 

2449 

1789 

Bunki  . . . 

2101 

1501 

Kiowa  . . 

2401 

1801 

Eisho  . . . 

2104 

1504 

Bunkwa 

2404 

1804 

Dai-ei  . . . 

2181 

1521 

Bunsei  . . 

2478 

1818 

Koroku  . . 

2188 

1528 

Tempo  . . 

2490 

1830 

Tembun  . . 

2192 

1532 

Kokwa  . . 

2504 

1844 

KSji  .... 

2215 

1555 

Ka-ci  . . 

2508 

1848 

Eiroku  . . . 

2218 

1558 

Ansei  . . 

2514 

1854 

Genki  . . . 

2230 

1570 

Man-en  . . 

2520 

1800 

Tensho  . . . 

2233 

1573 

Bimkiu . . 

2521 

1801 

Bunroku  . . 

2252 

1592 

Genji  . . 

2524 

1864 

Keicho  . . . 

2250 

1590 

Kei-o  . . 

2525 

1805 

Genna  . . . 

2275 

1015 

Meiji  . . 

2528 

1868 

1 Southern  Dynasty. 


Note  H 


(From  Clement’s  “Handbook  of  Modern  Japan  ”) 
Chronological  Table  of  Emperors  and  Empresses1 


1.  Jimmu  (660-5S5  b.c.) 

2.  Suizei  (581-549) 

3.  Aunei  (548-511) 

4.  Itoku  (510-477) 

5.  Kosho  (475-393) 

6.  Kuan  (392-291) 

7.  Korei  (290-215) 

8.  Kogen  (214-158) 

9.  Kaikwa  (157-98) 

10.  Sujiu  (97-30) 

11.  Suinin  (29  b.c-70  a.d.) 

12.  Keiko  (71-130  a.d.) 

13.  Seimu  (131-190) 

14.  Chuai  (192-200) 

[15.  Jingo 1 (201-269)] 

16.  Ojin  (270-310) 

17.  Nintoku  (313-399) 

18.  Richu  (400-405) 

19.  Hanzei  (406-411) 

20.  Ingyd  (412-453) 

21.  Ank5  (454-456) 

22.  Yuryaku  (457-479) 

23.  Seinei  (480-484) 

24.  Kenso  (485-487) 

25.  Ninken  (488-498) 

26.  Muretsu  (499-506) 

27.  Keitai  (507-531) 

28.  Ankan  (534-535) 

29.  Senkwa  (536-539) 

30.  Kimmei  (540-571) 

31.  Bidatsu  (572-585) 

32.  Ydmei  (586-587) 

33.  Sujun  (588-592) 

34.  Suiko  (593-628) 

1 Empresses  in  Italics, 
from  some  lists. 


35.  Jomei  (629-641) 

36.  Kogi/oku  (642-645) 

37.  Iiotoku  (645-654) 

38.  Saimei  (655-661) 

39.  Tenclii  (668-671) 

40.  Kobuu  (672) 

41.  Tem mu  (673-686) 

42.  Jito  (690-696) 

43.  Mommu  (697-707) 

44.  Gemmyo  (708-715) 

45.  Gensho  (715-723) 

46.  Shomu  (724-748) 

47.  Koken  (749-758) 

48.  Junnin  (758-764) 

49.  S/totoku  (765-770) 

50.  Iionin  (770-781) 

51.  Kwammu  (782-806) 

52.  Heizei  (806-809) 

53.  Saga  (810-823) 

54.  Junna  (824-833) 

55.  Nimmyo  (834-850) 

56.  Moutoku  (851-S58) 

57.  Seiwa  (859-876) 

58.  Yozei  (877-884) 

59.  Koko  (885-887) 

60.  Uda  (888-897) 

61.  Daigo  (898-930) 

62.  Shujaku  (931-946) 

63.  Murakami  (947-967) 

64.  Reizei  (968-969) 

65.  Enyu  (970-984) 

66.  Kwazan  (985-986) 

67.  Ichijo  (987-1011) 

68.  Sail  jo  (1012-1016) 


Bracketed  names  (Nos.  15  and  99)  are  omitted 


APPENDIX 


361 


Note  H — Continued 


69.  Go-Ichijo1  (1017-1036) 

70.  Go-Shujaku  (1037-1045) 

71.  Go-Reizei  (1046-1068) 

72.  Go-Sanjo  (1069-1073) 

73.  Shirakawa  (1073-1086) 

74.  Ilorikawa  (1087-1107) 

75.  Toba  (1108-1123) 

76.  Shutoku  (1 124-1 141 ) 

77.  Konoye  (1142-1 155) 

78.  Go-Shirakawa  (1156-1158) 

79.  Nijo  (1159-1165) 

80.  Rokujo  (1166-1168) 

81.  Takakura  (1169-1180) 

82.  Antoku  (1181-1185) 

83.  Go-Toba  (1186-1198) 

84.  Tsuchimikado  (1199-1210) 

85.  Juutoku  (1211-1221) 

86.  Chukyo  (1222) 

87.  Go-Horikawa  (1222-1232) 

88.  Shijo  (1233-1242) 

89.  Go-Saga  (1243-1246) 

90.  Go-Fukakusa  (1247-1259) 

91.  Kameyama  (1260-1274) 

92.  Go-Uiia  (1275-128/) 

93.  Fushimi  (1288-1298) 

94.  Go-Fushimi  (1299-1301) 

95.  Go-Nijo  (1302-1307) 

96.  Ilauazono  (1308-1318) 

97.  Go-I)aigo  (1319-1338) 

98.  Go-Murakami  (1339-1367) 
[99.  Chokei  (1368-1383)] 

100.  Go-Kamevama  (1383-1392) 

101.  Go-Komatsu  (1392-1412) 

102.  Shoko  (1413-1428) 

103.  Go-IIanazono  (1429-1464) 


104.  Go-Tsuchimikado  (1465-1500) 

105.  Go-Kashiwabara  (1501-1526) 

106.  Go-Nara  (1527-1557) 

107.  Ogiraachi  (1558-1586) 

108.  Go-Y5zei  (1587-1611) 

109.  Go-Mizuno-o  (1612-1629) 

110.  Mydsho  (1630-1643) 

I 111.  Go-Kdmyo  (1644-1654) 

112.  Go-Saiin  (1655-1663) 

113.  Reignen  (1663-1686) 

114.  Higashiyama  (1687-1709) 

115.  Nakano-mikado  (1710-1735) 

116.  Sakuramachi  (1736-1746) 

117.  Momozono  (1747-1762) 

118.  Go- Sakuramachi  (1763-1770) 

119.  Go-Momozono  (1771-1779) 

120.  Kokaku  (1780-1817) 

121.  Ninko  (1817-1846) 

122.  Komei  (1847-1867) 

123.  Mutsuhito  (1867-  ) 

N.  B.  — Nos.  36  and  38  were  the 
same  empress ; likewise  Nos.  47  and 
49. 

Wo  append  also  a list  of  the  sov- 
ereigns of  the  “Northern  Court” 
during  the  separation,  as  follows  : 

1.  Kdgon  (1332-1335) 

2.  Kbmyo  (1336-1348) 

3.  Shuko  (1349-1352) 

4.  Go-Kogon  (1352-1371) 

5.  Go-Envu  (1372-1382) 

6.  Go-Komatsu  (1383-1392) 

In  1392  Go-Komatsu  became  em- 
peror over  the  reunited  empire. 


1 Go  is  a prefix  signifying  the  second  of  the  name. 


JArAIN  A»  11  WAS  AINU  IS 


Note  I 

OMITTED  DOCUMENTS 

I.  Letter  of  the  Emperor  Iyeyasu  (Ogosho-Sama)  to  the 
king  of  England  — (James  I.).1 

“Your  majesty’s  kind  letter,  sent  me  by  your  servant, 
Captain  John  Saris  (who  is  the  first  that  I have  known  to 
arrive  in  any  part  of  my  dominions),  I heartily  embrace, 
being  not  a little  glad  to  understand  of  your  great  wisdom 
and  power,  as  having  three  plentiful  and  mighty  kingdoms 
under  your  powerful  command.  I acknowledge  your  maj- 
esty’s great  bounty  in  sending  me  so  undeserved  a present 
of  many  rare  things,  such  as  my  land  affordeth  not,  neither 
have  I ever  before  seen ; which  I receive  not  as  from  a 
stranger,  but  as  from  your  majesty,  whom  I esteem  as 
myself.  Desiring  the  continuance  of  friendship  with  your 
highness,  and  that  it  may  stand  with  your  good  liking  to 
send  your  subjects  to  any  part  or  port  of  my  dominions, 
where  they  shall  be  most  heartily  welcome,  applauding  much 
their  worthiness,  in  the  admirable  knowledge  of  navigation, 
having  with  much  facility  discovered  a country  so  remote, 
being  no  whit  amazed  with  the  distance  of  so  mighty  a gulf, 
nor  greatness  of  such  infinite  clouds  and  storms  from  prose- 
cuting honorable  enterprises  of  discoveries  and  merchandis- 
ing, wherein  they  shall  find  me  to  further  them  according 
to  their  desires.  I return  unto  your  majesty  a small  token 
of  my  love  (by  your  said  subject),  desiring  you  to  accept 
thereof  as  from  one  that  much  rejoiceth  in  your  friendship. 
And  whereas  your  majesty’s  subjects  have  desired  certain 
privileges  for  trade  and  settling  of  a factory  in  my  domin- 
ions, I have  not  only  granted  what  they  demanded,  but  have 
confirmed  the  same  unto  them  under  my  broad  seal,  for 
better  establishing  thereof.  From  my  castle  in  Suruga, 


1 See  vol.  i,  p.  221. 


APPENDIX 


368 


this  fourth  day  of  the  ninth  month,  in  the  eighteenth  year 
of  our  Dairi,  according  to  our  computation.  Resting  your 
majesty’s  friend,  the  highest  commander  in  the  kiugdom  of 
Japan. 

“ [Signed]  Minna.  Montono  Yer.  Ye.  Yeas 

[Minamoto-no-Iyeyasu].” 

II.  An  ordinance  of  the  Emperor  of  Japan  sent  to  all  the 
governors  of  the  maritime  districts  to  prevent  the  landing 
of  Portuguese : 1 

“The  express  and  reiterated  commandments  against  the 
promulgation  of  the  religion  and  doctrine  of  the  Christians 
have  been  duly  published  and  everywhere  proclaimed ; but 
it  being  found  that  these  edicts  were  not  ellicacious,  they 
(that  is,  the  Christians)  were  forbidden  to  approach  the 
coasts  of  Japan  with  their  galliots  and  other  sea  vessels ; 
and  some  of  them,  in  contempt  of  this  prohibition,  having 
come  to  Nagasaki,  orders  were  given,  in  punishment  of  this 
offence,  to  put  them  to  death.  It  was  commanded,  last  year, 
by  a special  edict,  that  in  case  any  sea  vessel  were  seen  on 
the  coasts  of  Japan  or  entered  any  port,  it  might  be  per- 
mitted to  anchor,  with  a strong  guard  on  board,  till  what 
they  proposed  was  sent  to  the  emperor.  This  command- 
ment is  now  revoked ; and  it  is  ordered  instead  that  these 
vessels  (that  is,  Portuguese  and  Spanish  vessels),  without 
hearing  a word  which  those  on  board  have  to  say,  shall  be 
destroyed  and  burnt,  whatever  pretence  they  may  set  up, 
and  all  their  crews  to  the  last  man  be  put  to  death. 

“It  is  also  commanded  to  erect  watch-towers  on  the 
mountains  and  all  along  the  coast,  and  to  keep  constant 
watch  to  discover  Portuguese  vessels,  so  that  news  of  their 
arrival  may  at  once  be  spread  everywhere ; and  if  such  a 
vessel  shall  first  be  discovered  from  a more  distant  point,  it 
shall  be  imputed  as  a crime  to  those  in  charge  of  the  nearer 
1 See  vol.  i,  p.  250. 


3G4 


JAPAN  AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


watcliiug  places,  and  the  governors  thus  guilty  of  negligence 
shall  be  deprived  of  their  offices.  As  soon  as  a Portuguese 
vessel  shall  be  discovered,  news  shall  be  sent  express  to  all 
the  neighborhood,  to  the  governors  of  Nagasaki  and  Osaka, 
and  to  the  lord  of  Arima. 

“ It  is  expressly  forbidden  to  attack  or  molest  any  Portu- 
guese vessel  at  sea,  but  only  in  some  road,  port,  or  haven 
of  the  empire,  as  to  which  you  will  conform  to  the  orders 
that  may  be  sent  you  from  the  governors  of  Nagasaki  or 
the  lord  of  Arima,  except  where  necessity  obliges  instant 
action,  in  which  case  you  will  act  as  already  commanded. 

“ As  to  vessels  of  other  nations,  you  will,  according  to 
the  tenor  of  former  ordinances,  visit  and  examine  them  ; 
and,  after  placing  a strong  guard  on  board,  without  allow- 
ing a single  person  to  laud,  send  them  in  all  safety  to 
Nagasaki.” 


III.  Letter  from  Louis  XIV  to  the  Emperor  of  Japan:1 

“To  the  sovereign  and  highest  emperor  and  regent  of  the 
great  empire  of  Japan,  over  subjects  very  submissive  and 
obedient,  the  king  of  France  wishes  a long  and  happy  life 
and  a most  prosperous  reign  : 

“ Many  wars,  carried  on  by  my  ancestors,  the  kings  of 
France,  and  many  victories  gained  by  them,  as  well  over 
their  neighbors  as  over  distant  kingdoms,  having  been  fol- 
lowed by  profound  peace,  the  merchants  of  my  kingdom, 

1 See  vol.  i,  p.  26G.  Colbert’s  East  India  Company  and  scheme  of 
opening  the  commerce  of  China  and  Japan  was  simultaneous  with  his 
West  India  Company,  and  his  attempts  to  strengthen  and  build  up  the 
establishments  of  the  French  in  the  Carribee  Islands  and  in  Canada. 
La  Salle,  who  immortalized  himself  as  the  discoverer  of  the  Upper 
Mississippi,  and  as  first  having  traced  that  river  to  its  mouth  in  the 
Gulf  of  Mexico,  came  originally  to  Canada  with  a view'  to  the  discovery 
of  an  overland  western  passage  to  China  and  Japan.  See  Hildreth’s 
“ History  of  the  United  States,”  vol.  ii,  p.  113.  The  Japan  enterprise, 
however,  proved  a failure,  and  the  letter  given  above  never  actually 
reached  Japan. 


APPENDIX 


365 


who  trade  throughout  Europe,  have  taken  occasion  very 
humbly  to  beg  me  to  open  for  them  the  way  into  other  parts 
of  the  world  to  sail  and  to  trade  thither  like  the  other  Euro- 
pean nations ; and  I have  the  rather  inclined  to  accede  to 
their  request,  from  its  being  seconded  by  the  wishes  of  the 
princes  and  nobles  among  my  subjects,  and  by  my  own  curi- 
osity to  be  exactly  informed  of  the  manners  and  customs 
of  the  great  kingdoms  exterior  to  Europe,  of  which  we 
have  hitherto  known  nothing  but  from  the  narratives  of  our 
neighbors  who  have  visited  the  East.  I have,  therefore,  to 
satisfy  as  well  my  own  inclination  as  the  prayers  of  my 
subjects,  determined  to  send  deputies  into  all  the  kingdoms 
of  the  East ; and  as  my  envoy  to  your  high  and  sovereign 
majesty,  I have  selected  Francis  Caron,  who  understands 
Japanese,  and  who  has  many  times  had  the  honor  of  paying 
his  respects  to  your  majesty,  and  of  audience  from  you. 
For  that  express  purpose  I have  caused  him  to  come  into 
my  kingdom,  knowing  him  very  well  to  be  of  good  extrac- 
tion, though  by  misfortunes  or  war  stripped  of  his  property; 
but  re-established  by  me  in  his  former  condition,  and  even 
elevated  in  honor  and  dignity,  to  make  him  more  worthy  to 
approach  your  high  and  sovereign  majesty  with  all  due  re- 
spect. An  additional  motive  for  selecting  him  was  fear  lest 
another  person,  from  ignorance  of  the  wise  ordinances  and 
customs  established  by  your  majesty,  might  do  something 
in  contravention  of  them,  and  so  might  fall  under  your 
majesty’s  displeasure  ; whence  I have  judged  the  said  Fran- 
cis Caron  the  most  capable  to  present  my  letter  and  my 
requests,  with  such  solemnities  as  might  secure  for  them 
the  best  reception  on  the  part  of  your  majesty,  and  to  make 
known  my  good  affection  and  my  frank  desire  to  grant  to 
your  sovereign  majesty  whatever  you  may  ask  of  me,  in 
return  for  the  grant  of  what  I ask : which  is,  that  the  mer- 
chants of  my  kingdoms,  who  have  united  themselves  into 
a company,  may  have  free  commerce  throughout  your  maj- 


ouu 


JATAIM  AB  IT  WAS  ATM U IS 


esty’s  empire,  without  trouble  or  hindrance.  I send  you 
the  present  of  trifling  value  here  noted.  ...  I hope  it 
may  be  agreeable  to  your  majesty,  and  that  some  things 
useful  to  your  majesty  may  be  found  in  my  country,  of 
■which  I voluntarily  leave  open  and  free  all  the  ports. 

“At  Paris,  the  twenty-fourth  year  of  my  reign  [1666]. 

“ The  King  Louis.” 

Note.  — What  is  said  above  of  Caron’s  good  extraction,  of  his 
having  lost  his  fortune  by  the  chances  of  war,  and  of  his  re-estab- 
lishment in  his  former  position  by  the  favor  of  the  king,  was,  it  is 
probable,  merely  intended  to  reconcile  the  Japanese  to  receiving  as 
an  envoy  from  the  king  of  France  a man  whom  they  had  known 
only  in  the  — according  to  their  ideas  — low  character  of  a Dutch 
merchant. 

In  the  instructions  drawn  up  for  the  bearer  of  this  letter,  the 
following  curious  directions  were  given  as  to  the  answer  to  be  made 
to  the  inquiries  of  the  Japanese  on  the  topic  of  religion:  “ As  to 
the  article  of  religion  you  will  say,  that  the  religion  of  the  French 
is  of  two  kinds — one  the  same  with  that  of  the  Spaniards,  the 
other  the  same  with  that  of  the  Dutch;1  and  that  hi3  majesty, 
knowing  that  the  religion  of  the  Spaniards  is  disliked  in  Japan, 
has  given  orders  that  those  of  his  subjects  who  go  thither  shall 
be  of  the  Dutch  religion  ; that  this  distinction  will  be  carefully 
attended  to ; and  that  no  Frenchman  will  ever  be  found  wishing 
to  contravene  the  imperial  orders.2  Should  they  advance  as  an 
objection,  that  the  king  of  France  depends  upon  the  Pope,  like  the 
king  of  Spain,  you  will  answer,  that  he  does  not  depend  upon  him; 
that  the  king  of  France  acknowledges  no  superior,  and  that  the 
nature  of  his  dependence  upon  the  Pope  may  easily  be  seen  in 
what  has  happened  within  two  years,  in  consequence  of  an  outrage 
at  Rome  upon  the  person  of  his  majesty’s  ambassador.  The  Pope 
not  making  a sufficiently  speedy  reparation,  his  majesty  had  sent 
an  army  into  Italy,  to  the  great  terror  of  all  the  Italian  princes, 
and  of  the  Pope  himself,  who  sent  a legate  to  him  charged  with  the 
most  humble  and  pressing  supplications,  whereby  his  majesty  was 

1 This  was  before  the  revocation  of  the  Edict  of  Nantes. 

2 This  reads  very  much  like  the  third  clause  in  the  American  letter. 


APPENDIX 


367 


induced  to  recall  his  troops,  which  already  had  encamped  in  the 
Pope’s  territories.  So  that  the  king  is  not  only  sovereign  and  ab- 
solute in  his  own  domain,  but  also  gives  the  law  to  many  other 
potentates  ; being  a young  prince,  twenty-five  years  of  age,  valiant, 
wise,  and  more  powerful  than  any  of  his  ancestors;  and,  withal, 
so  curious  that,  besides  a particular  knowledge  of  all  Europe,  he 
eagerly  seeks  to  know  the  constitution  of  the  other  countries  of  the 
world.” 


INDEX 


INDEX 


Abegawa,  River,  i.,  385. 

Acorns,  Edible,  ii.,  142. 

Acorns,  ii.,  124. 

Actors,  i.,  212,  360-365;  ii.,  160, 
161. 

Acupuncture,  ii.,  145,  202. 

Adams, , ii.,  345. 

Adams,  Captain  Robert,  i.,  240. 

Adams,  Thomas,  i.,  172. 

Adams,  William,  i.,  169-179,  192, 
199-204,  206,  207,  210,  211,  213, 
224,  225,  239,  240. 

Ainslie,  Dr.,  ii.,  208. 

“Ainu  and  their  Folk-lore,  The,” 

ii.,  345. 

“Ainu  of  Japan,  The,”  ii.,  345. 

Akechi  Mitsuhide,  i.,  116,  117. 

Alcea  rosea,  ii.,  124. 

Alcock, , ii.,  345. 

Almeida,  Louis,  i.,  93,  95,  96,  153, 
165. 

Alphabets  in  use,  i.,  78;  ii.,  164. 

Alvarez,  George,  i.,  38,  50. 

Ambassadors  to  the  Pope,  i.,  103- 
115,  121,  122,  126,  128,  132. 

Ambergris,  i.,  329. 

Amboyna,  Massacre  of,  i.,  240,  241  ; 

ii.,  355. 

“ America  in  the  East,”  ii.,  273. 

“American  anchorage,”  ii.,  291. 

American  relations  with  Japan. 
See  United  States’  relations  with 
Japan. 

Amida,  the  god  and  his  idols,  i., 
399  ; ii.,  49,  65. 

Amiot,  Pere,  i.,  7. 

“Amcenitates  Exoticae,”  i.,  289, 
315. 


Amomum  mioga,  ii.,  124. 

Anas  galericulata,  ii.,  135. 

Ancestor  worship,  ii.,  188. 
Anderson,  W.,  ii.,  345. 

Angelis,  Jerome  de,  i.,  220,  265. 
Animals  and  birds  eaten  for  food, 

i.,  54,  75,  187 ; ii.,  135;  those  not 
eaten,  ii.,  253. 

Anise-tree,  i.,  401  ; ii.,  126. 

Anjiro,  i.,  38,  39,  41,  49-54,  82, 
359. 

“ Annales  des  Voyages,”  ii.,  349. 

“ Annals  des  Dairi,”  ii.,  89. 

“ Annals  des  Empereurs  du  Japon,” 

1.,  257,  391  ; ii.,  108,  165. 

“ Annals  of  the  Dairi,”  i.,  357. 
Apples,  ii.,  140. 

Arai,  ii.,  65,  70. 

Arai  Hakuseki,  ii.,  112. 

Aratame,  ii.,  65. 

Architecture,  domestic,  i.,  77,  187, 
218,  339,  340,  390-392,  395  ; ii., 
52,  63,  79,  129-131,  306,  318-322. 
“Archives  of  Japan,”  i.,  8. 
Argonaut,  English  ship,  ii.,  191. 
Arima,  King  of,  i.,  98,  102,  126. 
Armies  and  soldiery,  i.,  59,  215, 
258. 

Armor,  i.,  139. 

Arms,  or  mark,  upon  clothing,  etc., 
i„  116,  188,  371,  373  ; ii.,  17,  18, 
285,  322. 

Artemisia,  ii.,  146.  See  also  Worm- 
wood. 

“ Arts  and  Crafts  of  Old  Japan,” 

11.,  345. 

Arum  dracontium  and  esculentum,  ii., 
142. 


372 


INDEX 


Asakawa, , ii.,  345. 

“Asiatic  Journal,”  i.,  195;  ii.,  46, 
72,  108,  254,  352. 

Aston,  W.  G.,  i.,  8,  145;  ii.,  199, 
206,  345. 

Astronomers,  ii.,  143,  201,  223,  251. 
Asukagawa,  River,  i.,  385. 

“ Atlas  Japonensis,”  i.,  266. 
Atolsuke,  i.,  370,  372. 

Atsuta  (Miya),  ii.,  69. 

Audiences  -with  emperor  and 

princes,  i.,  175,  189-191,  217  ; ii., 
55,  56,  60-62,  85-104,  149-153, 
331-334. 

Audsley,  , and  Bowes,  , 

ii.,  345. 

Austerities  practised  by  both  bonzes 
and  Jesuits,  i.,  71,  88. 
Autographs  of  travellers,  i.,  218. 
Awa,  Provinces  of,  ii.,  283. 
Azuchiyama,  i.,  103,  116. 

Bacon,  Miss,  ii.,  344. 

Baggage,  i.,  370-377. 

Baker,  Edmund,  i.,  177. 

Baptiste,  Father  Pierre,  i.,  242. 
Barley,  i.,  76. 

Batchelor,  John,  ii.,  345. 

Baths,  ii.,  9,  52,  134. 

Batoli,  Father  Daniel,  i.,  115. 
Bedding,  ii.,  5,  133,  156. 

Beechey,  Captain,  ii.,  282. 

Beer,  ii.,  207. 

Beggars,  ii.,  23-28,  58. 

Bell  in  Miyako  temple,  ii.,  105,  108. 
Benriu,  River,  i.,  385. 

Bent,  Lieut.,  ii.,  302. 

Bettelheim,  Rev.  B.  J.,  ii.,  266,  267. 
Biddle,  Commodore,  ii.,  261-265. 
Bidinger,  Mr.,  ii.,  300. 

Bikuni  (nuns),  ii.,  23,  24. 

Binding  of  prisoners,  ii.,  214,  270. 
Bird,  Miss,  ii.,  344. 

Birds  eaten  for  food,  ii.,  135. 
Biscanio,  Sebastian,  i.,  270. 

Biwa,  Lake,  ii.,  63,  67. 


Black, , ii.,  345. 

Blindness,  ii.,  29. 

Blomhoff,  Herr,  ii.,  245,  247. 

Blomhoff,  Mme.,  ii.,  245. 

Blossom,  English  ship,  ii.,  282. 

Bonin  Islands,  ii.,  282,  292. 

Books,  i.,  77  ; ii.,  118,  123,  224. 

Boshu  (Awa)  Province,  ii.,  283. 

“ Botanical  Magazine  ” (Curtis),  ii., 
125. 

Botany,  i.,  374,  375;  ii.,  123,  157, 
162,  253. 

Bowes, , and  Audsley, , ii., 

345. 

Bowmen,  ii.,  149. 

Bramhall,  Mrs.,  ii.,  344. 

Brassica  orientalis,  ii.,  124,  137. 

Breskens,  Dutch  ship  (1643),  i.,  262- 
264. 

Bridges,  i.,  385  ; ii.,  50,  51,  57,  58, 
67,  78,  329. 

Brixiano,  Father  Organtino,  i.,  149. 

Broadcloth,  English,  i.,  224. 

Broughton,  Captain,  i.,  265;  ii., 
191. 

Brown,  Mr.,  ii.,  302. 

Buddha,  The  great,  ii.,  108. 

Buddhism,  i.,  65,  70-74,  139,  275- 
277,  342,  343;  ii.,  28,  65. 

Buddhist  clergy,  i.,  72-74,  275-277, 
342,  343  ; ii.,'  65. 

Buddhist  temples  (Tera),  i.,  71, 
275,  342,  397,  398;  ii.,  65,  304. 

Buke  (military  nobility),  i.,  63. 

Buku,  ii.,  187. 

Bullocks,  ii.,  317.  See  also  Oxen. 

Bungo,  Kingdom  of,  i.,  25-29,  34- 
36,  84-86,  93,  98,  102,  118-120, 
124,  125,  145. 

Burger,  Dr.,  ii.,  252. 

Burial  service,  Jesuit,  i.,  88. 

Burrows,  Silas  E.,  ii.,  312-314. 

Burying-grounds,  ii.,  123,  296,  307, 
316. 

“ Bushido  — The  Soul  of  Japan,” 
ii.,  344. 


INDEX 


373 


Cabot,  Sebastian,  i.,  167. 

Cabral,  Father,  i.,  97,  98,  100'  101. 
Cactus  ficus,  ii.,  159. 

Caladium,  ii.,  142. 

Calendar,  Japanese,  i.,  32,  357. 
California,  ii.,  276,  278. 

Call  to  arms,  i.,  34,  35. 

Cambodia  River,  ii.,  354. 

Camellia  sasankwa,  ii.,  125. 

Campbell, , i.,  302  : ii.,  345. 

Campbell,  Archibald,  ii.,  203. 
Camphor-tree,  i.,  7 6 ; ii.,  46, 1 25, 250. 
Candles,  ii.,  38,  39. 

Canvas  batteries,  ii.,  257. 

“ Capital  of  the  Tycoon,  The,”  ii., 
345. 

Capsicum,  ii.,  124. 

“ Captive  of  Love,  A,”  ii.,  345. 

“ Captivity  in  Japan,”  i.,  33. 

Carac  of  Macao,  Cargo  of,  i.,  153, 
154,  269,  270. 

Card  games,  ii.,  224. 

Caron,  Francis,  i.,  224,  240,  243, 
253-257,  260,  261,  266,  267,  273, 
343,  352,  368,  373  ; ii.,  16,  30,  46, 
65,  135,  355,  365,  366. 

Carvilho,  Father  Valentine,  i.,  227, 
242. 

Cassa,  Fleer,  ii.,  207,  209. 

Castles,  i.,  186,  392-394  ; ii.,  48,  54, 
58,  63,  69,  80-83,  86-88. 
Castricoom,  Dutch  ship  (1643),  i., 
262,  264,  265. 

Casuar,  rare  Batavian  bird,  i.,  265, 
368  ; ii.,  53. 

Catechists,  Native,  i.,  100,  127,  128, 
231. 

Catholic  Church  in  the  East,  i.,  40, 
41, 45-47,  65,  205,  235,  261,  267, 
27 1 , 396.  See  also  Missionaries 
and  Xavier,  Francis. 

Cats,  ii.,  138,  253. 

Cavendish,  Thomas,  i.,  167,  271. 
Cecille,  Admiral,  ii.,  265. 
Cedar-trees,  ii.,  141. 

Celastrus  alatus,  ii.,  124. 


Cevicos,  Don  Jean,  i.,  245,  246. 

Chamberlain, , ii.,  .345. 

Chaplin-Ayrton,  Mrs.,  ii.,  344. 

Charlevoix,  Father,  i.,  20,  85,  101, 
115,  154,  232,  246,  265,  290. 

Charms  against  evil  spirits,  ii.,  323. 

Cherry-trees,  ii.,  10,  140. 

“ Child  Life  in  Japan,”  ii.,  344. 

Children,  i.,  259,  260,  353 ; ii.,  41, 
73,  121,  135,  211. 

China  trade,  i.,  12,  270,  273-275, 
277-281 ; ii.,  Ill,  275,  276. 

“ Chinese  Repository,”  ii.,  254,  255, 
258,  284. 

“ Chiushingura,  the  Loyal  League,” 
ii.,  345. 

Chronicles,  Japanese,  i.,  1,  64. 

Citrus  tripoliata,  ii.,  142. 

Civility  of  Japanese,  i.,  287 ; ii.,  34, 
41. 

“ Classical  Poetry  of  the  Japanese,” 
ii.,  345. 

Clement,  Ernest  W.,  i.,  78 ; ii.,  343, 
357,  360. 

Cleopatra,  French  frigate,  ii.,  265. 

Climate,  ii.,  162. 

Clocks,  ii.,  126,  251. 

Coal,  ii.,  311,  312. 

Cocks,  Richard,  i.,  213,  223-225, 
229, 234,236, 239, 240 ; ii.,  1 21 , 122.’ 

Coimbra  (Portugal)  University,  i., 
45  ; Jesuit  college,  i.,  46,  85. 

Coins  and  currency,  i.,  59,  60,  257, 
272,273,  277,  278,322,  372;  ii., 
109-111,  309-311,  337. 

“ Coins  of  Japan,  The,”  ii.,  310. 

Colbert, , i.,  266,  368;  ii.,  355, 

364. 

Colds  and  catarrh,  ii.,  134. 

Colewort,  ii.,  124. 

Colic,  Treatment  of,  ii.,  145. 

Collado,  Father,  i.,  244-246. 

Columbus,  American  ship,  ii.,  261- 
265,  283. 

Company  of  Jesus.  See  Order  of 
Jesuits  and  Missionaries,  Jesuit. 


374 


INDEX 


Company’s  Island,  i.,  124,  265. 

Compliments,  i.,  27. 

Concubines  and  courtesans,  i.,  260, 
279,292,  310,  340,341,356;  ii., 
23,  30,  120,  121,  175,  249. 

Conder, , ii.,  7. 

Contee,  Mr.,  ii.,  284. 

“Contributions  towards  a Knowl- 
edge of  the  Japanese  Empire,” 

ii.,  247. 

Converts,  native,  i.,  84,  85,  88,  94- 
98,100,  102,  103,  118-121,  124- 
129,  134,  140,  141,  145,  155-158, 
162-164,  195,  207,  211,  222,  227- 
234,  243-248,  267,  268.  See  also 
Missionaries. 

Cook-shops,  ii.,  12,  13. 

Cooper,  Captain,  ii.,  260,  261. 

Copper,  i.,  329  ; ii.,  159,  202,  203. 

Corean  expedition,  i.,  128,  140,  141, 
144,  145,  151,  162;  ii.,  108. 

Corvailho,  Father.  Same  as  Car- 
vilho,  Father  Valentine. 

Couros,  Father  Matthew  de,  i., 
159. 

Cows,  ii.,  137. 

Craftsmen  segregate,  i.,  187,  217. 

Credit  on  accounts,  ii.,  127. 

Crucifixion,  i.,  156. 

Crusado,  i.,  17. 

Cuello,  Father  Gaspard,  i.,  102, 
119,  126. 

Cupressus  japonica,  ii.,  141. 

Cyprus,  English  brig,  ii.,  254. 

Daguerreotypes,  ii.,  302. 

Daibutsu  Temple,  ii.,  106. 

Daifu-Sama.  See  Iyevasu. 

Daikolcu,  i.,  359. 

Dairi,  or  Mikado,  i.,  60-66  ; ii.,  166, 
167. 

Dale,  Sir  Thomas,  i.,  237,  238. 

Date  Masamuue,  i.,  204. 

Davidson,  J.  W.,  i.,  302  ; ii.,  345. 

Davis,  pilot  of  Dutch  vessel,  i., 
169,  177  ; ii.,  353,  354. 


Dee-yee-no-skee,  Japanese  seaman, 

ii.,  312-314. 

De  Jancigny, , ii.,  254,  274, 

277,  310. 

Dening, , i.,  150. 

Deshima,  Island  of,  i.,  248,  262, 
291-294;  ii.,  117. 

Devereux,  Captain,  ii.,  194. 

Diana,  Russian  sloop,  ii.,  212,  226- 
243,  324. 

“ Diary  of  Richard  Cocks,”  i.,  226, 
267. 

Dick,  Stewart,  ii.,  345. 

Dickins, , ii.,  345. 

Dickson, , ii.,  345. 

Dictionary,  Japanese-Dutcb,  ii.,  210. 

Dioscorea  Japonica,  ii.,  124. 

Distance,  Measures  of,  i.,  382,  391 ; 

ii.,  89. 

Dixon, , ii.,  345. 

Doeff,  Heer  Hendrick,  ii.,  194-212, 
245. 

Dogs,  ii.,  138,  253. 

Dolichos  polystachos,  ii.,  159. 

Dolichos  soia,  ii.,  159. 

Dominicans  in  Japanese  missions. 
See  Missionaries,  Catholic,  other 
than  Jesuit. 

Dosha  powder,  ii.,  147. 

Doshin,  or  imperial  soldiers,  i., 
257,  346  ; ii.,  223. 

Drake,  Sir  Francis,  i.,  167  ; ii.,  351. 

Draughts,  Game  of,  ii.,  224,  225. 

Dress,  i.,  105,  210-212,  276,  375, 
376;  ii.,  55.  56,  58,  143,  154-156, 
248,  285,  331,  332. 

Dress,  ease  of  adjustment,  ii.,  9, 133, 
156. 

Dresser, , ii.,  345. 

Drinking,  i.,  343  ; ii.,  39,  226. 

Dutch  East  India  Company,  i.,  169, 
209,  238,  251-253,  261,  272,  283- 
336,  366;  ii., 31-41,  101,  109-111, 
114-120,122,  123,  126-129,  136, 
139,  193-209,  245,  246.  See  also 
Dutch  in  Japan. 


INDEX 


375 


Dutch  in  Japan,  i.,  165,  167-175, 

177,  179,  181-185,  191,  192,  195- 
204,  206-209,  220,  221,  223,  228, 
233-238,  240,  241,  251-256,  261- 
267,  271-273,  277-281,  284-301  ; 
ii.,  274,  27  5,  325.  See  also  Dutch 
East  India  Company. 

Dyosperos  kaki,  ii.,  159. 

“Early  Institutional  Life  of  Ja- 
pan,’’ ii.,  345. 

“ Early  Study  of  Dutch  in  Japan, 
The,’’  ii.,  210. 

Earthquakes,  i.,  77,  151,  391,  392; 

ii.,  50,  85,  143,  173,  324. 

Eclipse,  American  ship,  ii.,  203. 
Eclipses,  ii.,  143,  223. 

Edicts,  i.,  395,  396. 

Edmund,  English  whaler,  ii.,  273. 
Education,  i.,  77,  88. 

Elephant,  ii.,  209,  223. 

Elgin,  Lord,  ii.,  335. 

Eliza,  American  ship,  ii.,  193, 194. 
Elserak,  Dutch  director,  i.,  264. 
Embassy  to  Washington,  ii.,  335- 
339. 

Emperor,  Castle  of,  ii.,  80-83,  86- 
91,  148-153. 

Emperors,  Chronology  of,  ii.,  158, 
166,  360,  361. 

Empress,  ii.,  91. 

English  East  India  Company,  i., 

178,  219,  220,  225,  236-241  * 267. 
See  also  English  in  the  East. 

English  in  the  East,  i.,  167,  169, 
175,  178,  179,  207-209,  219-221, 
228,  230,  233-240,  278;  ii.,  246, 
259,  260,  272,  273,  323,  324,  335. 
See  also  English  East  India 
Company. 

Enoshima,  Island  of,  ii.,  74. 

“ Essay  on  the  Commerce  of  Japan,” 

ii.,  274. 

Everett,  Hon.  Edward,  ii.,  280. 

“ Evolution  of  the  Japanese,  The,” 

ii.,  344. 


“ Examiner  ” (London),  ii.,  259. 

Executions  and  tortures,  i.,  156, 
214,  246,  247,  333-335,  349,  353, 
354,  396;  ii.,  75. 

Eye  diseases,  ii.,  29,  123. 

Fans,  i.,  376. 

Farming  class,  ii.,  159. 

“ Fauna  Japonica,”  ii.,  253. 

Feith,  M.,  ii.,  157. 

Fernandes,  Jean,  i.,  52. 

Ferreyra,  Father  Christopher,  i., 
247,  248,  264. 

Ferry-boats,  i.,  385. 

Festivals,  i.,  69,  223,  224,  356-365  ; 

ii.,  188,  189,  225,  226. 

“ Feudal  and  Modern  Japan,”  ii., 
344. 

Figara  peperita,  ii.,  124. 

Figure-treading,  Ceremony  of,  i., 
298,  352,  396;  ii.,  128,  271. 

Fillmore,  President,  ii.,  276-281. 

Firearms,  i.,  24,  25,  33 ; ii.,  149, 
224,  346-348. 

Fire-extinguishers,  i.,  367;  ii.,  52, 
79,  303. 

Fire-flies,  ii.,  158. 

Firemen,  ii.,  76,  79,  200. 

Fires,  i.,  77 ; ii.,  70,  71,  78,  79,  143, 
173,  200,  303,  321. 

Fir-trees,  ii.,  141. 

Fischer, , i.,  33. 

Fiscus  pumila  and  erecta,  ii.,  124. 

Fishermen,  i.,  214;  ii.,  213. 

Fisscher,  Herr,  ii.,  210,  247-250. 

Fitch,  Ralph,  i.,  269,  270;  ii.,  351, 
352. 

“Flora  Japonica”  (Siebold  and 
Zaccarini),  ii.,  253. 

“ Flora  Japonica  ” (Thunberg),  ii., 
162. 

Floris, , ii.,  354. 

Flower-arrangements,  ii.,  7. 

Flute,  ii.,  315. 

Food,  i.,  54,  75,  76,  187,  216,286, 
343;  ii.,  12,  13,  38,  75,  98,  99, 


376 


INDEX 


102-104,  126,  127,  140,  159,  215, 
217,  220,  317,  318,  333,  334. 

Foot-coverings,  ii.,  142. 

Fords,  i.,  384,  385. 

Foreigners,  Antipathy  to,  i.,  214. 

Forestry  regulations,  i.,  381. 

Formosa,  i.,  252-255,  262,  271,  274, 
302 ; ii.,  355. 

“Formosa  uudef  the  Dutch,’’  i., 
302  ; ii.,  345. 

Fowls,  Domestic,  ii.,  138. 

Foxes,  i.,  75;  ii.,  42,  43. 

Franciscans  in  Japanese  missions. 
See  Missionaries,  Catholic,  other 
than  Jesuit. 

Franklin,  American  ship,  ii.,  194. 

“ Free  Press  ” (Serampore),  ii.,  265. 

French  East  India  Company,  i., 
266. 

French  in  Japanese  affairs,  i.,  266  ; 

ii.,  265,  335. 

Frisius,  of  the  Dutch  East  India 
Company,  i.,  265,  266. 

Froe*,  Father  Louis,  i.,  95,  96,  131, 
133,  141,  159,  165,  266  ; ii.,  38. 

“Frog  in-a-well  ” policy,  ii.,  170, 
171,  193. 

“ From  Far  Formosa,”  ii.,  345. 

Fruits,  ii.,  140,  159. 

Fuchu,  i„  25,  27,  35,  36. 

Fucus  saccharinus,  ii.,  140. 

Fujigawa,  River,  i.,  385;  ii.,  72. 

Fuji-jedagawa,  River,  i.,  385. 

Fuji-no-Yama,  ii.,  72,  141,  286,  328. 

Funeral  customs,  ii.,  183-189. 

Furniture  and  interiors,  i.,  340,391, 
392;  ii.,  4-8,  52,  55,  62,  130,  131, 
133,  303,  330. 

Fushimi,  i.,  140,  151,  215;  ii.,  58. 

Gago,  Balthaza,  i.,  87,  90,  93. 

Galvano,  Antonio,  i.,  13,  14,  40,  41, 
56. 

Gardenia  Florida,  ii.,  142. 

Gardens,  i.,  194;  ii.,  10-12,  52,  82, 
322. 


Gate  Guard,  Nagasaki,  i.,  312. 

“ Gate  of  the  two  kings,”  ii.,  108. 
Gaubil,  Father,  i.,  8. 

Gege  (plebeians),  i.,  62. 

Geisenger,  Captain,  266. 

“ Genji  Monogatari,”  ii.,  345. 

Gin,  ii.,  206. 

Ginseng,  ii.,  118. 

“ Glimpse  at  the  Art  of  Japan,  A,” 

ii.,  345. 

“ Glimpses  of  Unfamiliar  Japan,” 

11.,  344. 

Globe,  English  ship,  ii.,  354. 

Globius  (Takaro  Sampei),  ii.,  201, 
222,  223,  239,  248. 

Glyn,  Commander,  ii.,  266-269,  271. 
Gnecchi,  Father,  i.,  97,  103,  119, 
146,  155,  159,  164. 

Goa,  i.,  12,  38,  41,  48;  ii.,  350-353. 
Godo,  i.,  277. 

Goede  Frouw,  Dutch  ship,  ii.,  206. 
Go-kirai  (The  Tenza),  i.,  164. 
Golowniu,  Yassili,  i.,  21,  22,  33,  59, 
66,  124,  162,  221,  265;  ii.,  140, 
159,  200,  208,  212-244,  246. 
Gomez,  Father,  i.,  126. 
Gongen-Sama  (Iyeyasu,  which  see), 

1.,  230. 

Gordon,  Captain,  ii.,  246. 

Goseman, , ii.,  205. 

Goto  Shozaburo,  treasurer  to  Em- 
peror Ilasliiba,  i.,  199,  200. 
Governors  of  Nagasaki,  i.,  347. 
Gowns  presented  to  Company,  ii., 
104,  154;  to  U.  S.  Consul,  ii., 
333. 

Griffis,  William  Elliot,  i.,  74;  ii., 
273,  324,  344. 

Gros,  Baron,  ii.,  335. 

Grote,  George,  i.,  275. 

Gruy, , ii.,  345. 

“ Guitar”  (samisen),  ii.,  315. 

Gulick,  Sidney,  ii.,  344. 

Gusman,  Father  Luys  de,  i.,  115, 
131. 

Gutzlaff,  Mr.,  ii.,  255. 


INDEX 


377 


Gysbert  (or  Guvsbert),  Roger,  i., 
243,  244,352,  354. 

Hacklctt’s  translations,  i.,  14, 

122,  150,  152,  165,  177,  178,  270; 

11.,  350,  351. 

Hagenaar,  , i.,  247,  253-255, 

261,  343  ; ii.,  355. 

Hagendorp,  Heer,  ii.,  196. 

Hair,  Manner  of  wearing,  ii.,  147, 
148. 

Ilakata,  Island  of  Shimo,  i.,  82,  213, 
214. 

Hakodate,  Island  of  Matsumae,  i., 
221  ; ii.,  191,  213,  216,  305,  306. 
Hakone  pass,  ii.,  65,  73,  141,  328. 
Hamamatsu,  ii.,  70. 

Hamilton,  Dr.,  ii.,  316. 

Hanashikimi  (anise-tree),  i.,  401. 
See  also  Shikimi. 

“ Handbook  of  Modern  Japan,  A,” 

1.,  78 ; ii.,  343,  357,  360. 
Handkerchiefs,  ii.,  155. 

Harada  Kiyemon,  i.,  134,  135,  142, 
148. 

Hara-kiri,  i.,  78,  79,  229,  260. 
Harbors,  i.,  386,  387. 

“ Harper’s  Magazine,”  i.,  166. 
Harris,  Mrs.,  ii.,  345. 

Harris,  Townsend,  ii.,  325-335. 
Hartman,  S.,  ii.,  345. 

Hartshorne,  Miss,  ii.,  344. 

Hashiba  (Taiko-Sama),  i.,  117-121, 

123,  124,  126-144,  147-151,  155, 
158-161,  193;  ii.,  54,  167. 

Hatch,  Arthur,  i.,  240. 

Hawkins,  Sir  Richard  and  Sir  John, 

i.,  167. 

Hay’s  (John)  translations,  i.,  115, 
132,  150,  165,  205. 

Healthfulness  of  houses,  i.,  392. 
Hearn,  Lafcadio,  ii.,  344. 

Heating  of  houses,  ii.,  5,  6,  120,  131, 
303,  321. 

Hecr, , ii.,  346. 

Heine,  Mr.,  ii.,  302. 


Hemmi,  Adams’s  estate,  i.,  225,  240. 
Hemp,  ii.,  124. 

Heuskeu,  Mr.,  ii.,  328,  332. 

Hibiscus  manihot,  ii.,  132. 

Hidetsugu  (Kwambacudono),  i., 
140,  149. 

Hidevori,  son  of  Taiko-Sama,  i., 
150,  161,  163,  197,  198,  229. 

“ Ilideyoshi’s  Invasion  of  Korea,”  i., 
145. 

Hieizan,  Mountain  of,  i.,  98 ; ii.,  67. 
Highways,  i.,  189,  216,  380-384;  ii., 
15,  16,  33,  123,  328,  329. 

Higo,  Castle  of,  ii.,  54. 

Hildreth,  Richard,  i.,  10;  ii.,  364. 
Hiogo,  ii.,  334. 

Hirado,  i.,  254,  261. 

Ilirado,  Prince  of,  i.,  177,  184,  185, 
196,  197,  210,  213. 

“ His  Pilgrimes  ” (or  “ His  Pilgrim- 
age”),!., 177,  178,  220,  225,  232; 

11.,  354. 

“Hist.  Gen.  des  Voyages,”  i.,  198. 

“ Histoire  de  la  Dynastie  des  Mon- 
goux,”  i.,  8. 

“ Histoire  du  Japon,”  i.,  20, 115,  246. 
“ Histoire  Gc'ne'ral  de  la  China,”  i.,  7. 
“ Histoire  Mythologique,”  i.,  357. 

“ Historia  de  la  Compagnia  de 
Gesu,”  i.,  115. 

“ History  of  Greece,”  i.,  275. 
“History  of  Japan”  (Adams),  ii., 
345. 

“ History  of  Japan  ” (Charlevoix), 

1.,  290. 

“History  of  Japan  ” (Kampfer),  i., 
289-291. 

“ History  of  Japanese  Literature,” 

11.,  345. 

“ History  of  Java,”  i.,  272  ; ii.,  110- 

112. 

“History  of  Plants,”  ii.,  125. 

“ History  of  the  Empire  of  Japan,” 

ii.,  346. 

“ History  of  the  English  Factory  at 
Hirado,”  i.,  226. 


378 


INDEX 


‘History  of  the  United  States,”  ii., 
364, 

Hizen,  Province  of,  i.,  82,  120. 
Hoffman,  assistant  to  Siebold,  i.,  8. 
Hoin-Sama.  See  Hirado,  Prince  of. 
Homicide,  Punishment  for,  i.,  354. 

“ Honda  the  Samurai,”  ii.,  344. 
Horseback-riding,  i.,  370-377. 
Horse-shoes,  i.,  373. 

Horses,  i.,  215;  ii.,  138,  317. 

Hotel,  i.,  359. 

Hotoke,  or  idols,  i.,  399. 

Houtman,  Cornelius,  i.,  168,  169, 
177  ; ii.,  353. 

Huish, , ii.,  345. 

Hyogo,  Province  Settsu,  ii.,  49. 

“ Ideals  of  the  East,  The,”  ii.,  345. 
Idols,  i.,  193,  399,  400;  ii.,  45,  106- 
108.  See  also  Temples. 

“ Illustrations  of  Japan,”  i.,  79  ; ii., 
81,  147,  168,  174. 

Image-trampling.  See  Figure- 
treading. 

Imhoff,  author  of  Dutch  memoir, 

1.,  272;  ii.,  110. 

Imi,  ii.,  186,  187. 

Incomes  of  princes,  i.,  240,  256- 
259. 

“Indian  History,”  i.,  14. 
Indulgence-boxes,  i.,  401. 

Ingen,  Buddhist  priest,  i.,  275-277. 
Inns,  i.,  187, 216;  ii.,  2-13, 29, 36-41, 
328. 

“Intercourse  between  the  United 
States  and  Japan,  The,”  ii.,  273. 
Interest,  ii.,  127. 

Interpreters,  i.,  302-306,  369,370; 

11.,  34,  117,  164. 

Ise  Temple,  i.,  68,  69 ; ii.,  20,  21, 69. 
“ Island  of  Formosa,  The,”  i.,  302  ; 

ii.,  345. 

Iyevasu  (Tokugawa  Iyayasu),  i., 
161-163,  175-177,  190-193,  200, 
201,  218-223,  230. 

Izu,  Cape,  ii.,  283,  328. 


Jacatra  (Batavia),  i.,  237 ; ii.,  354. 
Jancigny.  See  De  Jancigny. 
“Japan”  (De  Jancigny),  ii.,  254, 
277. 

“Japan”  (Dickson),  ii.,  345. 
“Japan”  (Reed),  ii.,  345. 

“ Japan  — An  Interpretation,”  ii., 

344. 

“Japan  and  her  People,”  ii.,  344. 
“Japan  and  its  Art,”  ii.,  345. 

“ Japan  in  Art  and  Industry,”  ii., 

345. 

“ Japan  in  History,  Folk-lore,  and 
Art,”  ii.,  344. 

“Japan,  its  Architecture,  Art,  and 
Art  Manufactures,”  ii.,  345. 
“Japan:  presented  in  Sketches  of 
the  Manners  and  Customs  of  that 
Realm,  especially  of  the  Town  of 
Nagasaki,”  ii.,  249. 

Japan  Society,  London,  i.,  8. 

“ Japanese  Armour,”  ii.,  149. 

“ Japanese  Art,”  ii.,  345. 

“ Japanese  Boy,  A,”  ii.,  344. 

“ Japanese  Calendars,”  i.,  352. 
“Japanese  Costume,”  ii.,  154. 

“ Japanese  Education,”  ii.,  345. 
“Japanese  Fairy  World  ” (Griffis), 

ii.,  344. 

“Japanese  Fairy  World,  The” 
(Ozaki),  ii.,  344. 

“Japanese  Fans,”  i.,  376. 
“Japanese  Funeral  Rites,”  ii.,  183. 
“Japanese  Girls  and  Women,”  ii., 
344. 

“Japanese  Heraldry,”  i.,  117. 

“ Japanese  Homes,”  ii.,  344. 
Japanese  in  America,  i.,  152. 

“ Japanese  Life  in  Town  and  Coun- 
try,” ii.,  344. 

“Japanese  Plays,”  ii.,  345. 
“Japanese  Rituals,”  i.,  66. 

Jarves,  J.  J.,  ii.,  345. 

Jesuits.  See  Order  of  Jesuits. 
Jewels,  ii.,  332. 

Jizo,  Idol  of,  i.,  399  ; ii.,  45. 


INDEX 


379 


Jodogawa,  River,  ii.,  50. 

Johannis  Botanicus,  ii.,  201. 

Jones,  Sir  William,  ii.,  164. 

Jontoux,  Father,  ii.,  118. 

“Journal  of  Commerce”  (New 
York),  ii.,  293. 

Judo,  i.,  74,  277. 

Jugulans  nigra,  ii.,  144. 

Junrei,  ii.,  22. 

Kago,  i.,  377-379. 

Kahei,  Takataya,  ii.,  228-243. 

Kakegawa,  ii.,  70. 

Kamakura  image  of  Buddha,  i., 
218. 

Kamakura,  Island  of,  ii.,  74. 

Kamban,  i , 323-325. 

Kamel,  George  Joseph,  ii.,  125. 

Kami,  i.,  66.  See  also  Shinto. 

Kampfer’s  account  of  Japan,  i.,  8, 
27,  32,  59,  64,  66,  196,  202,  225, 
240,  244,  249,  256,  257,  267,  272, 
274-401  ; ii.,  1-109,  118,  125,  146, 
159,  169,250,  254,  300. 

Kanagawa,  ii.,  74,  293,  300,  303, 
334. 

Kanrin-maru,  Japanese  steamer,  ii., 
336. 

“ Keramie  Art  of  Japan,”  ii.,  345. 

Kinosita,  Yetaro,  ii.,  345. 

Kitchiu, , ii.,  345. 

Kilo,  i.,  60,  276;  ii.,  167. 

Kiushiu.  See  Shimo. 

Klaproth,  Heinrich,  i.,  32,  69,  181, 
257,  357,  359,  391  ; ii.,  46,  62,  67, 
72,  89,  108,  112,  165,  199. 

Knapp,  A.  M.,  ii.,  344. 

Knox,  Dr.,  ii.,  112. 

Knox,  G.  W.,  ii.,  344. 

Kobo,  saint  and  sage,  ii.,  147. 

Kochebecker,  of  the  Dutch  East 
India  Company,  i.,  261. 

“ Kojiki,”  i.,  359  ; ii.,  346. 

“ Kokoro,”  ii.,  344. 

Kohl,  i.,  240. 

Kokura,  capital  of  Buzen,  ii.,  48. 


Konishi  Settsu-no-Kami,  i.,  163. 
Koshi  (Confucius),  ii.,  68. 

Koxinga,  Chinese  pirate,  i.,  302. 
Koya,  near  Miyako,  i.,  292. 
Kozukeno-Suke,  secretary  to  Em- 
peror Hashiba,  i.,  199,  200. 
Kramer,  Conrad,  i.,  252. 
Krusenstern,  Captain,  ii.,  196,  197. 
Kublai  Khan,  i.,  2,  4,  8-1 0. 
Kubo-Sama,  i.,  58,  61,  62,  64. 
Kuchiki  Samon,  ii.,  163. 

Ivuchinotsu,  i.,  94,  102. 

Kuge  (patricians),  i.,  62,  66  ; ii.,  21. 
Kuno,  Fortress  of,  ii.,  71. 

Kuri,  i.,  300,  308. 

Kurile  Islands,  i.,  123,  221,  265  ; 

ii.,  190,  212,  213. 

Kurume,  Castle  of,  ii.,  47. 

Kuwaua,  Province  of  Owari,  ii.,  69. 
Kwambacudono,  i.,  118,  123,  140, 
149,  150. 

Kwannon  Temple,  ii.,  107. 

Kyoto  (Miyako,  which  see),  i.,  215. 

Ladoga,  American  whaler,  ii.,  266, 
269. 

Lady  Pierce,  American  ship,  ii., 
312-314. 

Ladg  Rowena,  ii.,  258. 

Lampacau  Island,  i.,  19. 

Lancaster,  Captain,  i.,  167,  177. 
“Land  of  the  Morning,  The,”  ii., 
345. 

Langsdorff,  Attache,  ii.,  197. 
Lanterns,  i.,  373 ; ii.,  329. 

La  Perouse,  Voyage  of,  i.,  124,  221, 
265  ; ii.,  190. 

La  Salle,  ii.,  364. 

Lattices,  ii.,  91. 

Lawrence,  American  whaler,  ii.,  265. 
Laws,  i.,  78,  206,  260,  354;  ii.,  161, 
162,  245. 

Laxman,  Lieut.,  ii.,  191,  192,  196, 
219. 

Lay, , ii.,  183. 

Leeds, , ii.,  351,  352. 


380 


INDEX 


Lepers,  i.,  164. 

“Letters  Written  by  the  English 
Besidents  in  Japan,  1611-1623,’’ 

1.,  178,  207,  219. 

Lew  Chew  Islands,  i.,  31,  124,  181, 
281 ; ii.,  312,  355. 

Liano,  Spanish  gentleman,  i.,  142. 
Linschooten,  Hugh,  i.,  168. 
Liverwort  used  as  charm,  i.,  401. 
“Log  of  a Japanese  Journey,”  ii., 
345. 

Lowell,  P.,  ii.,  344. 

Loyola,  Ignatius,  i.,  42,  43,  90. 

“ L’uuivers,  ou  Iiistoire  et  Descrip- 
tion de  tout  les  Peuples,”  ii.,  254. 

Macartnet,  Lord,  ii.,  164. 

Mackay, , ii.,  345. 

Maclay,  A.  C.,  ii.,  345. 

Maffei, , i.,  14,  81,  165. 

Mabay,  Jacques,  i.,  169,  170. 

Maize,  ii.,  317. 

Makino  Bingo-no-Kami,  ii.,  84. 
Malela,  Father,  i.,  7. 

Mcdva  Mauritiana,  ii.,  124. 

Mamori,  ii.,  179. 

Manchu  dynasty,  i.,  274. 

Manju,  a cake,  ii.,  13,  98. 

Mankoku,  i.,  240. 

Manners,  ii.,  174.  See  also  Civility 
of  Japanese. 

“ Manners  and  Customs  of  the 
Japanese  in  the  Nineteenth  Cen- 
tury,’’ ii.,  254. 

Manufactures,  i.,  77 ; of  Miyako, 

11.,  63,  64;  of  Suruga,  ii.,  71. 
Manuscript  history,  ii.,  168. 
Maple-trees,  ii.,  141. 

Maps,  ii.,  157,  251,  252. 

Marco  Polo,  i.,  1-6,  13. 

Mariner,  English  ship,  ii.,  272,  273. 
“Marriage  Ceremonies,”  ii.,  170, 
172. 

Marriages,  i.,  259  ; ii.,  174-183,  225. 

Marsden, , translator,  i.,  2, 4,  6. 

Matheson,  Commander,  ii.,  272, 273. 


Mats,  Floor,  i.,  391 ; ii.,  5,  52,  89, 
91,  131,  152. 

Matsumae,  ii.,  220,  226. 

Matsumae  Island.  See  Matsumaye 
Island. 

Matsumaye  (Yezo  or  Matsumae) 
Island,  i.,  123,  124,  220,  221,  262- 
265 ; ii.,  222. 

Matsuri  (public  spectacle  at  Na- 
gasaki), i.,  296,  356-365. 

Matsuura  Hoin.  See  Hirado,  Prince 
of. 

“ Matthew  Calbraith  Perry,”  ii.( 
324. 

May,  Henry,  i.,  178. 

McClatchie, , ii.,  345. 

McCoy,  American  seaman,  ii.,  270, 
271. 

McDonald,  Eauald,  American  sea- 
man, ii.,  271,  272. 

Meals,  ii.,  39,  133. 

Measures  and  weights,  i.,  23,  59, 
249,  272. 

Medhurst,  Mr.,  ii.,  210. 

Medicine  and  surgery,  i.,  26,  28, 
77;  ii.,  68,  93,  94,  118,  122,  145- 
147. 

Melea  azedarach,  ii.,  125. 

Melis,  Thomas,  i.,  169. 

“ Memoir  on  the  Trade  of  Japan, 
and  the  Causes  of  its  Decline,” 

i.,  272;  ii.,  110. 

“Me'moires  concernautles  Chinois,” 

i.,  / . 

“ Memoirs  of  the  Shoguns  ” (or 
Djoguns),  i.,  98;  ii.,  168. 

“ Memorable  Embassies  of  the 
Dutch  to  the  Emperors  of  Ja- 
pan,” i.,  266,  272;  ii.,  88. 

“ Memorials  of  the  Empire  of  Ja- 
pan,” i.,  225. 

Mentha  piperita,  ii.,  124. 

Mercator,  American  whaler,  ii.,  260, 
261. 

Merchant  class,  ii.,  139,  174,  243, 
244. 


INDEX 


381 


Merchant  marine  of  Japan,  i.,  180, 
181.  See  also  Trade. 

Mermaids,  ii.,  53. 

Mespillus  japonica , ii.,  159. 
Messengers,  ii.,  2. 

Meylan,  G.  F.,  ii.,  248-250. 
Mimitsuka  Chapel,  ii.,  108. 
Mindanao,  Island  of,  i.,  55,  56. 
Mines,  ii.,  Ill,  112,  250. 

“Mirror  of  Yedo,”  i.,  257. 

Mirrors,  ii.,  133. 

Miseratsie,  or  wall  adornments,  ii., 
4,  6-8. 

Missionaries,  Catholic,  other  than 
Jesuit,  i.,  147-149,  151,  152,  155— 
160,  163,  164,  179,  223,  228-232, 
241-248,  268. 

Missionaries,  Jesuit,  i.,  38-41,  45- 
56,  60,  63-65,  67,  70-72,  81-91, 
93-98,  100-103,  116-121,  124-136, 
138,  142,  143,  145-149,  151-160, 
162-164,  175,  179,  205,  222,  227- 
234,  241-248,  263,  264,  268,  269, 
279,  280;  ii.,  169,  259. 
Missionaries,  Protestant,  i.,  147 ; 

ii.,  255,  259,  266. 

Mississippi,  American  frigate,  ii., 
281,  282,  287,  291,  314,  315. 
Mitford,  A.  B.  F.,  ii.,  344. 

“Mito  Yashiki,”  ii.,  345. 

Mitsukuri,  Dr.,  ii.,  210. 

Miya  (Atsuta),  ii.,  69. 

Miya  (Shinto  temples),  i.,  67-69, 
398,  399 ; ii.,  302. 

Miyako,  i.,  61,  83,  96,  97,  155,  161, 
163,  164,  192,  222  ; ii.,  58,  62-66, 
104-108,  140. 

Mongols,  i.,  2,  6-10. 

“ Moniteur  des  Indes,”  ii.,  274. 
Monsoons,  i.,  316. 

Moor,  Captain,  ii.,  228,  229,  236. 

Mori  Motonari,  i.,  90,  95,  103. 
Morrison,  American  brig,  ii.,  255- 
258,  284. 

Morse,  E.  S.,  ii.,  344. 

Moms  papyrijira,  ii.,  132. 


Mossman, , ii.,  345. 

Mountain  priests,  i.,  74 ; ii.,  23-25, 
72. 

Mountains,  i.,  386,  387;  ii.,  134 
255. 

Mourning,  ii.,  178,  185-187. 

Moxa,  ii.,  126,  145,  146. 
Mulberry-trees,  i.,  76  ; ii.,  132. 

Munro, , ii.,  310. 

Murakami,  N.,  i.,  226. 

Murakawn,  K.,  i.,  178. 

Murray',  D.,  ii.,  158,  344. 

Murray,  Lieut.,  ii.,  302. 

Mushrooms,  ii.,  159. 

Music  and  musicians,  i.,  212,  213, 
357,  362;  ii.,  28,  315. 

Nabores,  Hieronvmo  de,  i.,  270. 
Nagasaki,  i.,  97,  102,  125,  128,  143, 
145,  156-160,  164,  234,  235,  244^ 
275,  284,  285,  291-294,  337-353,’ 
355-365,  397. 

Naibun,  ii.,  241. 

Namida  (Sanscrit  prayer),  i.,  344  ; 

ii.,  27,  73. 

“Narrative  of  a Japanese,  The,” 

ii.,  346. 

Natural  history  researches,  ii.,  251- 
253. 

Nettles,  ii.,  124. 

"New  Japan,”  ii.,  345. 

“ New  Life  of  Toyotomi  Ilide- 
yoshi,”  i.,  150. 

New  Moon  ceremonies,  ii.,  316. 

New  Year’s  Day  (European),  ii. 
126. 

New  Year’s  Day  (Japanese),  i., 
357  ; ii.,  127,  225,  226. 

“New  York  Times,”  ii.,  310. 

“New  York  Tribune,”  ii.,  301,  316. 
Newbury',  John,  ii.,  351,  352. 
Niagara,  U.  S.  frigate,  ii.,  337. 
Nicholson,  Lieut.,  ii.,  302. 
Nthombashi,  or  great  bridge  at 
Yedo,  i.,  380;  ii.,  78,  200. 

Nikko  Temple,  i.,  230,  253. 


382 


INDEX 


Ningpo,  i.,  13. 

Ni-b-mon,  “gate of  the  two  kings,” 

ii.,  108. 

Nippon,  i.,  1,  27,  57,  124. 

“ Nippon  Odai  Ichiran,”  ii.,  165. 

“ Nippon,  or  Archives  for  the  De- 
scription of  Japan,”  ii.,  254. 
Nitobe,  I.  O.,  ii.,  273,344. 

Nobles,  i.,  240,  256-260;  ii.,  70,  81, 
149-153. 

Nobunaga  (Oda  Nobunaga),  i.,  96- 
98,  102,  103,  116,  117,  139. 

Noises  of  the  town,  i.,  344;  ii.,  189. 
Noort,  Oliver,  i.,  169,  171. 
Norimono,  i.,  347,  377-379 ; ii.,  327. 
Noshi,  ii.,  177. 

“ Notes  on  the  Intercourse  between 
Japan  and  Siam  in  the  Seven- 
teenth Century,”  ii.,  354. 
“Notices  et  Extraits  des  Manu- 
scrits,”  ii.,  165. 

“Noto,  an  Unexplored  Corner  of 
Japan,”  ii.,  344. 

“Nouveau  Journal  Asiatique,”  i., 
181  ; ii.,  112. 

“ Nouveau  Melanges  Asiatique,” 

11.,  146,  165. 

Nugnes  Barreto,  Father,  i.,  88-90. 
Nuyts,  Peter  de,  i.,  252-254  ; ii., 
355. 

Oaks,  ii.,  142. 

Oars,  i.,  389. 

Obaku,  papal  residence  of  Ingen, 

1.,  276. 

Odawara,  ii.,  73. 

Official  life  at  Nagasaki,  i.,  345-350. 
Ogosho-Sama,  i.,  163.  See  also 
Iyeyasu. 

Oharai,  or  indulgence,  ii.,  21. 
Oigawa,  River,  i.,  384,  385;  ii.,  71. 
Oita,  i.,  27. 

Okakura, , ii.,  345. 

Okasaki,  ii.,  69. 

Omura,  town  and  bay,  ii.,  45. 

Opium  war,  ii.,  259. 


Order  of  Jesuits,  i.,  41-46,  54.  See 
Missionaries,  Jesuit. 

Orfanel,  Father  Fray  Jacinto,  i., 
246. 

Oriental  Translation  Fund,  ii.,  165. 
“ Oriental  Travels,”  Marco  Polo, 

1.,  1-6. 

“Origin  of  Spanish  and  Portuguese 
Rivalry  in  Japan,  The,”  i.,  135. 

“ Origin  of  the  Riches  of  Japan,” 

11.,  112. 

Oryris  japonica,  ii.,  142. 

Osaka,  i.,  118,  127,  155,  161,  164, 
175,  195,  214,  215,  230,  382;  ii., 
_ 49-54,  324,  334. 

Oshima,  Island  of,  ii.,  305. 

Otsu,  town  and  lake,  ii.,  63,  67. 
Outcast  Japanese,  i.,  249;  ii.,  192, 
258. 

Oxen,  ii.,  59,  137. 

Ozaki,  Miss,  ii.,  344. 

Pacheco,  Father,  i.,  245. 
Pack-horses  and  travellers’  equip- 
ment, i.,  370-377. 

Palaces,  i.,  188,  189,  340 ; ii.,  80. 
See  also  Castles  and  Emperor, 
Castle  of. 

Palanquins,  i.,  216. 

Paper,  ii.,  132,  133. 

Paper-hangings,  i.,340,  392;  ii.,  52. 
Parish  priests,  i.,  180,  229. 

Parker,  Dr.,  ii.,  255. 

“ Parli,  the  Last  of  the  Mission- 
aries,” ii.,  345. 

“ Past  and  Present  of  Japanese 
Commerce,  The,”  ii.,  345. 

Paul  of  the  Holy  Faith.  See 
Anjiro. 

Pazio,  Father  Francis,  i.,  163. 
Pearls,  ii.,  45,  46. 

Pears,  ii.,  140. 

Peel’s  Island,  ii.,  282. 

Pellew,  Captain,  ii.,  204,  205. 

“ Peregrinations  in  the  East,”  i., 
14,  15;  ii.,  348-350. 


INDEX 


383 


Perry,  Commodore,  ii.,  238,  276- 
324. 

Persecution  of  Catholic  mission- 
aries, i.,  119,  120,  125,  126,  155- 
160,  164,  205,  222,  227-234,  240- 
251,  261. 

Phaeton,  English  frigate,  ii.,  204, 
205,  208. 

Phascolus,  ii.,  124,  159. 

Philadelphia,  U.  S.  steamer,  ii.,  336. 

Philippine  Islands,  i.,  56,  134,  135, 
152,  166. 

Physicians,  i.,  28,  29  ; ii.,  68,  93,  94, 
103,  144-147,  157,  172,  250. 

“Pictorial  Arts  of  Japan,  The," 

ii.,  345. 

Pilgrimages,  i.,  69 ; ii.,  20-22,  69. 

Pillows,  ii.,  5, 133. 

Pilotage  rates,  ii.,  311. 

Pilots,  i.,  387. 

Pinkerton’s  collection,  i.,  261,  267. 

Pinto,  Fernam  Mendez,  i.,  14-31, 
34-38,  49,  52,  84,  88,  89,  91,  92; 

ii.,  112,  348-350. 

Pinus  abies,  ii.,  144. 

Pinus  silvestris,  ii.,  142. 

Pisum  sativum,  ii.,  124. 

Plane-trees,  ii.,  82. 

Ploughing,  i.,  216. 

Pl>/mouth,  American  sloop,  ii.,  282. 

Police  protection,  i.,  188,  214,  349- 
353,  356. 

Pologonum,  ii.,  124. 

Population,  i.,  186,  190,  192,  195, 
257 ; ii.,  53,  57,  65,  74. 

Portraits,  i.,  33. 

Portuguese  in  the  East,  i.,  11-34, 
36-41,  45,48,  49,57,  58,  64,  71, 
84,  90,  91,  102,  103, 120,  127,  134- 
136,  138,  139,  142,  145,  147,  153, 
154,  158,  159,  164,  166,  167,  174- 
176,  179,  181,  182,  196-199,  208, 
209,  221,  228,  248-251,  255,  261- 
265,  269-271,  278. 

Post-houses,  ii.,  1 , 2. 

Potatoes,  ii.,  124,  317. 


Poverty,  i.,  77,  87,  395  ; ii.,  162. 
Powhatan,  United  States  ship,  ii., 
297,  324,  336. 

Prayers  for  the  dead,  i.,  344. 

Preble,  American  ship,  ii.,  265-269, 
271,  272. 

Precious  metals.  Export  of,  ii.,  112, 
113. 

Presents,  i.,  217,  367,  368;  ii.,  59, 
85,  96,  97,  104,  141,  175. 

Pring,  Martin,  i.,  237-239. 

Printing,  ii.,  157. 

Prisons,  ii.,  217,  220-222. 
Protestants  in  Japanese  missions. 

See  Missionaries,  Protestant. 
Provinces,  as  found  by  Portuguese, 

1.,  57,  58 ; division  by  “ Circuits," 

11.,  343. 

Purcell, , ii.,  345. 

Pnrchas, , i.,  165,  177,  184,  220, 

225,  232,  236,  240  ; ii.,  349,  354. 

“ Pure  Shinto,”  i.,  66. 

“Quarterly  Review,”  ii.,  247. 

Radishes,  i.,  286,  383  ; ii.,  215. 
Raffles,  Sir  Stamford,  i.,  272;  ii., 
110-112,  195,  196,  202,  208-210. 
Rain-coats,  i.,  375  ; ii.,  143. 
Rain-maker,  Priestly,  i.,  276. 

Rank,  The  distinction  of,  i.,  60. 
Rationalists.  See  Judo. 

Rebecca,  American  ship,  ii.,  206. 
“Recollections  of  Japan,”  ii.,  194, 
195. 

Reed, , ii.,  345. 

Regamey, , ii.,  345. 

“ Relation  du  Japon,”  i.,  224. 

“ Religions  of  Japan,  The,”  i.,  74 

ii.,  344. 

Religions  sects  and  beliefs,  i.,  65- 
74,  138,  139,  194,  195,  207,  261, 
291;  ii.,  65. 

Re'mnsat,  Abel,  i.,  70;  ii.,  146,  165, 
169. 


384 


INDEX 


Resanoff,  Count,  ii.,  196-199. 

liJtus  succedanea,  ii.,  125. 

Rhus  remix,  i.,  76  ; ii.,  125. 

Rice,  i.,  76,  257,  343;  ii.,  47,  59, 
136,  159. 

Riess,  Dr.  L.,  i.,  178,  240. 

Rikord,  Captain,  ii.,  226-243. 

Riordan,  R.,  and  Takayanagi,  T.,ii., 
344. 

Rivers,  i.,  384,  385  ; ii.,  50,  63. 

Road-books,  i.,  376;  ii.,  13. 

Roanoke,  U.  S.  steamer,  ii.,  336. 

Rodriguez,  Father,  i.,  32,  60,  63, 
133,  136,  156,  158,  162,  165. 

Roofs,  i.,  339,392;  ii.,  52,  130,  303, 
306,  321. 

Rowing,  Method  of,  i.,  389. 

Rubia  cordata,  ii.,  124. 

Rundall, , i.,  225,  230,  240. 

Russian  American  Company,  ii., 
203. 

Russian  relations  with  Japan,  ii., 
190-192,  196-199,  203,  212-244, 
323. 

Ryozayemon,  a Russian  prisoner, 
"ii.,  226-229. 

Saddles,  i.,  371,  377. 

Sadono-Ivami,  president  of  Prince 
Hideyori’s  council,  i.,  201. 

Saga,  capital  of  Hizen,  ii.,  46,  47, 
129. 

Sagami,  Cape,  ii.,  283. 

Saguer,  a rare  tree,  ii.,  11. 

Saikaido,  i.,  381. 

Sakai,  i.,  95,  118,  215;  ii.,  49. 

Sakana,  ii.,  38. 

Sake,  i.,  76,  216,  343  ii.,  54,  324. 

Sakhalin,  i.,  123,  124,  265;  ii.,  212. 

Salt  butter  as  a remedy,  ii.,  127. 

Salutation,  Ceremony  of,  i.,  210. 

Samisen,  i.,  212  ; ii.,  315. 

Saucian  Island,  i.,  13. 

“ San  Francisco  Herald,”  ii.,  313. 

San  Jacinto,  American  steamer,  ii., 
325. 


San  Philip,  Spanish  galleon,  i.> 
151,  152,  154,  159,  160,  180. 

Santvoort,  Melichor  von,  i.,  203, 
244. 

Sao  harbor,  ii.,  70. 

Saramang,  English  frigate,  ii.,  259. 

Saratoga,  American  sloop,  ii.,  282. 

Saris,  Captain  John,  i.,  196,  207- 
225,  229,  232,  343. 

Satow, , i.,  66,  86,  135  ; ii.,  354. 

Sawaas  (or  Sowas),  i.,  330,  344. 

Sayer,  agent  of  English  East  India 
Company,  i.,  230. 

Scherer,  J.  A.  B.,  ii.,  344. 

Scheuchzer,  Dr.  I.  G.,  i.,  290. 

Schools,  ii.,  135. 

Science,  Study  of,  i.,  77. 

Scurvy,  ii.,  229. 

Sea-weeds,  Edible,  ii.,  213. 

Segaki,  ii.,  26. 

Seimei,  and  the  table  of  unfortu- 
nate days,  ii.,  41-44. 

Seminary  at  Goa,  i.,  41,  49,  55. 

Serfs,  i.,  59. 

Serqueyra,  Father  Louis  (Bishop  of 
Japan),  i.,  227,  242. 

Servants,  i.,  354  ; ii.,  177. 

Sesamum  orientate,  ii.,  125. 

Settsu-no-Kami,  governor  of  Naga- 
saki, i.,  347  ; ii.,  100. 

‘‘Seven  Gods  of  Happiness,”  i., 
359. 

Shaep,  Captain,  i.,  263,  265. 

Shigemi,  S.,  ii.,  344. 

Shikimi  (anise-tree),  ii.,  126.  See 
also  Hanashikimi. 

Shikoku  Island,  i.,  123, 124.  Same 
as  Sikoku  Island. 

Shimabara  Fortress,  i.,  94,  248,  261. 

Shimada,  ii.,  71. 

Shimo,  i.,  27,  57,  93,  97,  98, 119, 124, 
125,  145,  164,  213,  228. 

Shimoda,  town  and  river,  ii.,  301, 
302,  305,  316-324,  326. 

Shimouoseki,  i.,  368,  381  ; ii.,  48,  49. 

Shinagawa,  ii.,  75,  247,  248. 


INDEX 


385 


Shinto,  i.,  66-70,  138,  139,  342,  359, 
360,  399  ; ii.,  65. 

Shinto  clergy,  i.,  74,  342,  359,  360, 

398  ; ii.,  65. 

Shinto  temples  (Miya),  i.,  67,  342, 

399  ; ii.,  65. 

Shiota,  ii.,  129.  See  also  Shiwota. 
Ships  and  Harbor  Guard,  Nagasaki, 
i.,  312,  348. 

Ships  and  boats,  i.,  77,  387-390;  ii., 
72. 

Shogun-Sama,  i.,  230,  247. 

Shoguns,  The,  i.,  58;  ii.,  158,  166- 
173. 

Shooting  of  birds,  ii.,  308. 

Shops,  i.,  394  ; ii.,  11,  52,  77,  247, 
319-323. 

Shotten,  Timothy,  i.,  169. 

“ Sidney  Gazette,”  ii.,  258. 

Siebold,  Dr.  Philipp  Franz  von,  i., 
8,  9,  31,  33,  123,  338,  351  ; ii.,  4.3, 
46,  125,  149,  237,  248,  250-254, 
274,  310. 

Signs,  ii.,  320,  323. 

Sikoku  Island,  i.,  57,  119.  Same  as 
Shikoku. 

Silk,  i.,  76,  101,  321. 

Sitting  posture,  ii.,  133,  303. 

Sloane,  Sir  Hans,  i.,  290. 

Small-pox,  i.,  400. 

Smilax  China,  ii.,  124. 

Smoke-holes,  i.,  3. 

Smoking  articles,  ii.,  37,  38. 
Smuggling,  i.,  300,  314,  328,  332, 
333,  .353,  397  ; ii.,  115,  116,  275. 
Soap,  ii.,  126. 

Soil,  i.,  76. 

Soldiers,  ii.,  223,  224.  See  also 
Armies  and  Soldiery. 

Solis,  Jean  de,  i.,  135,  136,  142,  14.3. 
Sotelo,  Father  Louis,  i.,  203-205, 
245,  246. 

“ Soul  of  the  Far  East,  The,” 
ii-,  344. 

Sowaas.  See  So  was. 

Sowas  (or  Sawaas),  i.,  330,  .344,  377. 
vol.  n.  — 25 


Soy,  ii.,  13,  119,  159. 

Spanish  in  the  East,  i.,  56, 134-136, 
142,  14.3,  147,  148,  151-154,  159, 
160,  166,  167,  179,  180,  191,  197, 
199,  202-204,  208,  209,  221,  228, 
237,  241,  261,  270,  271. 

Spex,  Jacob,  i.,  197,  198,  202,  203, 
206. 

Spinola, , i.,  241. 

Spirea,  ii.,  142. 

Springs,  ii.,  46,  129. 

Spy  Guard,  Nagasaki,  i.,  .312,  348. 
State’s  Island,  i.,  124,  265. 

Sterling,  Admiral,  ii.,  .323. 

Stevens,  Thomas,  ii.,  350,  351. 
Stewart,  Captain,  ii.,  193-196. 

St.  Michael,  patron  saint  of  Japan, 

1.,  98. 

Stockings,  ii.,  143. 

Story, , ii.,  351. 

“Story  of  Japan,”  ii.,  158,  .344. 
Street-government  of  cities,  i.,  188, 
.349-35.3,  356,  361 -.363  ; ii.,  51,  80, 
330. 

“Suburb  of  Yedo,  A,”  ii.,  345. 
Sugar,  ii.,  117,  275. 

Sun-Goddess  (Tenshd-daijin),  i.,  66, 
67,  69,  224,  357-359. 

“ Sunrise  Stories,”  ii.,  344. 
Superstitions,  i.,  48,  74,  207,  401  ; 

11.,  68,  223. 

Suruga,  i.,  163,  186,  190,  217;  ii.,  71. 
Susquehanna,  American  frigate,  ii., 
282,  291,  .314,  315. 

Suwa,  Festivals  of,  i.,  296,  356- 
365. 

Suwa,  Temple  of,  i.,  356,  357. 

Suyemat.su, , ii.,  345. 

■ Sweetmeats,  ii.,  13,  29,  331. 

Swine,  ii.,  138. 

Swords,  i.,  59,  106,  185,  210,  290, 
349,  369;  ii.,  149,  155,  168,  243. 

Taiko-Sama.  See  Hashiba. 
Taiko-Sama,  Castle  of,  i.,  118; 

ii.,  54. 


386 


INDEX 


Taiko-Sama,  Temple  and  Tomb  of, 

1.,  193. 

Takayanagi,  T.,  and  Riordan,  R., 

11.,  344. 

“ Tales  of  Old  Japan,”  ii.,  344. 
Tanners,  i.,  334,  349. 

Tartars,  i.,  5-10. 

Tashima,  Legend  of,  ii.,  42. 

Taxes,  i.,  258,  355,  356. 

Tea,  i.,  76,  216  ; ii.,  13,  14,  128,  158, 
220. 

Teisuke,  Murakami,  ii.,  221,  223, 
226,  239. 

Temples,  i.,  67,  68,  71,  161,  193,  194, 
216,  218,  222,  275,  342,  356,  357, 
397-399  ; ii.,  59,  69,  75,  79,  104- 
108,  304,  307,  316. 

“ Temples  of  Riches,”  i.,  275. 
Tennoji,  ii.,  54. 

Tenriu,  River,  i.,  385. 
Tensho-daijin.  See  Sun-Goddess. 
Tenza,  The,  i.,  164. 

Tera  (Buddhist  temples),  i.,  71, 
275,  342,  397,  398;  ii.,  65,  304. 
Terazawa,  i.,  145,  146,  156. 
Theatrical  representations,  i.,  77, 
212,  213,  360-365  ; ii.,  53,  160. 

Thevenot, , i.,  243,  261,  265; 

ii.,  354. 

Threshing,  ii.,  158. 

Thunberg,  Charles  Peter,  i.,  60, 
290,  376,  391,  392;  ii.,  16,  114- 
163,  169,  210,  213,  254. 

Thuya  dolebrata,  ii.,  141. 

Tiger,  English  ship,  ii.,  353,  354. 
Tillage  of  the  soil,  i.,  76,  381,  386, 
387  ; ii.,  134,  136-138,  317. 

Time,  Division  of,  i.,  351. 
Time-measurers,  ii.,  126,  251. 
Titsingh,  Isaac,  i.,  59,  79,  98,  230, 
240,  257,  276,  281,  351,  357,  376  ; 

ii.,  43,  81,  85,  112,  146,  147,  163- 
189. 

Tobacco  culture,  ii.,  12.3. 

Tokaido,  i.,  382;  ii.,  15,  23. 

Toko,  or  cupboard,  ii.,  4,  7,  178. 


Tokowaki,  or  side  cupboard,  ii.,  5. 

Tolls,  i.,  385. 

“Tomb  of  Ears,”  ii.,  108. 

Tomb  of  Taiko-Sama,  i.,  193,  194. 

Torey  (Stewart,  Captain),  ii.,  196. 

Torment  of  the  Fosse,  i.,  246,  247. 

Torres,  Cosme  de,  i.,  52,  54-56,  87, 
91,  97. 

Toshitoku,  i.,  359. 

Towns  and  villages,  i.,  394,  395 ; 

ii.,  57,  74. 

“Townsend  Harris,”  ii.,  325. 

Toyohashi  (Yoshida),  ii.,  70. 

Tovotomi  Hideyoshi,  ii.,  54.  See 
also  Hashiba. 

Trade,  i.,  77 ; ii.,  202,  274,  275. 

Transactions  and  Proceedings  of 
the  Japan  Society.  London,  i., 
376. 

Transactions  of  the  Asiatic  Society 
of  Japan,  i.,  32,  66,  86,  117,  135, 
145,  178,  204,  226,  257,  290,  352, 
359;  ii.,  7,  77,  112,  144,  149,  154, 
174,  183,  199,  206,  210,  315,  346, 
354. 

Translations,  i.,  121,  122,  158,  222, 
223,  280;  ii.,  122,  123,  164,  165, 
210,  222. 

Transportation  in  the  interior,  i., 
216,  347,  371-385. 

Travellers  on  the  highways,  ii.,  15- 
36,  41,  42,  45,  58,  329. 

Trays,  ii.,  333. 

Trial  by  torture,  i.,  353,  354. 

Trials,  i.,  78,  355;  ii.,  218. 

Trigault,  Nicholas,  i.,  232. 

Tsadauil  trees,  ii.,  57. 

Tsubaki,  ii.,  125. 

Tsuchi  Yama,  ii.,  69. 

Tsuitachi,  or  first  day  of  the  month, 

ii.,  58. 

Tsuui  Yoshi,  Emperor,  ii.,  85. 

Turks,  i.,  16. 

Ukondono,  i.,  117-119,  129,  229. 

Umenoki,  ii.,  68. 


INDEX 


387 


“Unbeaten  Tracks  in  Japan,”  ii., 
344. 

Unicorns’  horns,  ii.,  117,  118. 

United  States’  relations  with  Japan, 

ii.,  193-196,  206,  255-258,  260- 
273,  276-339. 

Uraga,  i.,  218. 

Utensils  and  dishes,  ii.,  8. 

Vaccinia,  ii.,  142. 

Valignaui,  Father  Alexander,  i., 
100-103,  121,  126-136,  138,  143, 
162,  165;  ii.,  349. 

Van  Braam, , ii.,  164. 

Vandalia,  ii.,  293. 

Van  Linschoten,  John  Huigen,  ii., 
351,  352. 

Van  Sturlen,  director  of  the  Com- 
pany, ii.,  250. 

Varnish-tree,  i.,  76;  ii.,  125. 

Vasco  da  Gama,  i.,  11. 

Vault,  for  fire  protection,  ii.,  52. 

Vaz,  Alvares,  i.,  49,  50. 

Vega,  Lopo  de,  Spanish  poet,  i.,  231. 

Vegetables,  i.,  76;  ii.,  124,  159,  317. 

Verhagen’s  fleet  (Dutch),  i.,  169- 
177. 

Verhoeven  fleet  (Dutch),  i.,  182, 
196,  198. 

Viburna,  ii.,  142. 

Vicia  faba,  ii.,  124. 

Vilela,  Father  Gaspard,  i.,  89,  94, 
95,  97,  133,  165;  ii.,  189. 

Vincennes,  American  frigate,  ii., 
261-265,  283. 

Vivero,  Don  Rodrigo  de,  governor 
of  Manila,  i.,  180,  185-196,  222, 
225,  245. 

Volcanoes,  ii.,  46,  170,  173,  305. 

“ Voyage  around  the  World,  A,” 

ii.,  203. 

“ Voyages  au  Nord,”  i.,  250,  254, 
261 , 265,  266;  ii.,  118,  355. 

“ Voyages  Curieuse,”  i.,  261. 

“Voyages  des  Indes,”  i.,  243,  252, 
254,  261  ; ii.,  355. 


Waardenaar,  Heer,  ii.,  207,  208. 
Wada  Iga-no-kami,  i.,  96,  97. 
Wadenaar,  Heer,  ii.,  195. 
Wagauaar,  of  the  Dutch  East  India 
Company,  i.,  265,  266. 

Walnuts,  ii.,  144. 

Warm  drinks,  i.,  216. 

Water-clocks,  ii.,  251. 

Water  supply,  i.,  293,  343;  ii.,  54. 
Weapons,  ii.,  149. 

Webster,  Daniel,  ii.,  276-281. 
Weddell,  Admiral,  i.,  255. 

“ Wee  Ones  of  Japan,  The,”  344. 
Weights  and  measures,  i.,  23,  59, 
249,  272. 

Whale  fishery,  i.,  255. 

Wheat,  i.,  76,  216. 

Wheeled  vehicles,  ii.,  137,  138. 
Whiskey,  ii.,  206. 

Whiting,  Lieut.,  ii.,  302. 

Whitney,  Dr.,  ii.,  144. 

Williams,  S.  W.,  ii.,  255,  258,  284, 
310,  318-323. 

Windows,  i.,  391  ; ii.,  4,  130,  131, 
322. 

Wine,  ii.,  206. 

Wittert,  Admiral,  i.,  197. 

Women,  i.,  98,  120,  127,  149,  161, 
211,  212,  214,  243,  259,  260,  279, 
292,  340,  341,  345,  361  ; ii.,  23, 
24,  29,  30,  47,  58,  70,  91,  96,  97, 
120-122,  127,  153-156,  161,  167, 
169,  174-183,  211,  225,  231-233, 
242,  249,  304,  315,  329,  330. 
Wormwood,  ii.,  125,  146. 

Written  language,  i.,  77,  78. 

Xavier,  Francis,  i.,  38,  39,  41- 
43,  46-55,  64,  71,  72,  81-88,  98; 

ii.,  353. 

^ akushi,  patron  of  physicians, 

11.,  68. 

Yamabu.  See  Yamabushi. 

1 'amabushi,  or  mountain  priests, 

1.,  74;  ii.,  23-25,  72. 


388 


INDEX 


Yamaguchi,  capital  of  Nagato,  i., 
82,  89,  90,  96. 

Yams,  ii.,  124. 

Yebisu,  patron  of  fishermen,  i.,  359. 

Yebumi  (figure-treading,  which  see), 
i„  352. 

Yedo,  i.,  163,  186, 187,  218,  230,  265, 
380  ; ii.,  76-83,  324,  326,  330. 

“ Yedo  Kagami  ” (“  Mirror  of 

Yedo  ”),  i.,  257. 

Yrezo  Island.  See  Matsumaye  Is- 
land. 

Yodo,  ii.,  50,  57. 


Yokkaiehi,  ii.,  69. 

Yokohama.  See  Kauagawa. 
Yoritomo,  Prince,  ii.,  28-30. 
Yoshida,  ii.,  70. 

Yoshimune,  i.,  119,  120,  125,  127, 
144,  145. 

“ Young  Japan  ” (Black),  ii.,  345. 

“ Young  Japan  ” (Scherer),  ii.,  344. 

Zelandia,  Fort,  in  Formosa,  i., 
262,  302. 

Zeni,  i.,  372,  373  ; ii.,  309. 

Zipangu,  i.,  1,  3-6,  14. 


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FAR  EASTERN  IMPRESSIONS 

Japan,  Corea,  and  China.  By  Ernest  F.  G.  Hatch, 
M.  P.  With  three  maps  and  eighty-eight  illustrations 
from  photographs.*  Cloth,  12mo.  $1.40  net. 


KAKEMONO 

Japanese  sketches.  By  A.  Herbage  Edwards.  With 
frontispiece.  Cloth,  8vo.  $1.75  net. 


THE  MAKERS  OF  JAPAN 

By  J.  Morris.  A series  of  biographies  of  great 
Japanese  statesmen  and  soldiers.  With  twenty-four 
illustrations.  Large  8vo.  $3.00  net. 

MCDONALD  OF  OREGON 

A Tale  of  Two  Shores.  By  Eva  Emery  Dye.  The 
chronicle  of  the  earliest  Japanese  refugees  to  land  in 
America,  and  of  the  first  Americans  who  visited  Japan, 
later  to  act  as  interpreters  to  Perry.  Illustrated  by 
W.  J.  Enright.  8vo.  $1.50. 


A.  C.  McCLLliG  & CO.,  Publishers 


RECENT  PRESS  COMMENTS  ON 


A HANDBOOK 
OF  MODERN  JAPAN 


“ One  of  the  most  valued,  because  fruitful,  members  of  the  Asiatic 
Society  of  Japan,  and  with  the  advantage  of  over  fifteen  years’  resi- 
dence in  the  provinces  and  capital  of  the  Mikado’s  Empire,  Professor 
Clement  is  probably  the  best  fitted  to  give  us  not  only  a handbook  of 
Japan,  but  the  Handbook.  His  twenty-one  chapters,  with  appendix 
and  index,  abundant  bibliography,  rich  discussion  of  varied  topics, 
make  this  the  best  book-picture  of  the  Japan  of  to-day.  Besides 
readableness,  one  has  the  sense,  while  enjoying  it,  to  know  that  it  is 
perfectly  trustworthy.  A laborious  and  conscientious  student  has 
patiently  sifted  and  tested  his  facts,  and  with  judicial  mind  pre- 
sented them.  No  subject  of  importance  concerning  the  Japanese 
and  their  country  is  left  without  treatment.  . . . This  is  the  book  for 
the  library  and  the  busy  man  in  1903  — whether  there  be  peace  or 
war  with  Russia.” — The  Outlook. 

“ Just  what  Americans  wish  to  know  of  Japan.  . . . The  ‘ Hand- 
book ’ is  a veritable  storehouse  of  information.  It  is  surprising  how 
much  can  be  crammed  into  so  small  a space,  and  how  conveniently 
and  attractively  it  can  be  done.  The  volume  is  copiously  and  ar- 
tistically illustrated,  and  plentifully  supplied  with  maps  which  show 
clearly  just  what  one  wants  to  know  about  the  Empire  of  the  Mikado. 
Great  familiarity  with  his  subject  is  shown  by  Mr.  Clement’s  work.” 

— Chicago  Journal. 

“ The  book  is  evidently  written  by  an  authority  on  Modern  Japan, 
and  is  just  what  its  title  indicates  — a handbook  of  the  Japan  of  to- 
day.”— Denver  Rejmhlican. 

“ We  feel  no  hesitation  in  affirming  that  for  one  seeking  within  the 
pages  of  one  book  the  most  information  of  Japan  and  its  people,  and 
of  a reliable  character,  there  has  been  nothing  heretofore  produced 
that  excels  this  Handbook  of  Modern  Japan  by  Professor  Clement” 

— Japan  Evangelist. 

“ The  immediate  charm  and  sterling  value  of  Prof.  Ernest  W. 
Clement’s  ‘ Handbook  of  Modern  Japan  ’ lie  in  the  fact  that  he 
speaks  for  the  most  part  from  immediate  knowledge  and  experience, 
and  from  an  inside  view.  . . . Likely  to  be  wanted  constantly  on 
the  table  of  most  intelligent  people  interested  in  the  Ear  East  and  its 
possibilities.” — The  Nation , New  York. 


A.  C.  McCLURG  & CO.,  Publishers 


RECENT  PRESS  COMMENTS  ON 


A HANDBOOK 
OF  MODERN  JAPAN 


“This  is  the  book  for  the  hour  when  Russia  looms  and  Korea 
shrivels,  or  for  the  year  and  decade  when  the  map  of  Eastern  Asia 
may  be  arranged.  ” — The  Dial,  Chicago. 

“ For  those  who  would  acquire  exact  information  concerning  the 
• Yankees  of  the  Orient,’  and  who  cannot  obtain  it  at  first  hand,  no 
better  book  has  been  issued  than  Ernest  W.  Clement’s  ‘ Handbook  of 
Modern  Japan.’  . . . The  reliability  and  completeness  of  his  infor- 
mation cannot  be  questioned.”  — Chicago  Evening  Post. 

“ Perhaps  there  is  no  other  single  book  in  which  may  be  found 
such  varied,  compact,  and  up-to-date  information.  ” — Springfield 
Republican. 

“ Just  what  Japan  will  develop  into  no  one  can  say.  What  Japan 
is  now,  is  most  ably  described  by  Mr.  Clement,  whose  book  is  illus- 
trated with  photographs  which  really  illustrate,  and  help  one  to  real- 
ize the  extraordinary  progress  made  in  the  land  of  the  Rising  Sim.” 
— New  York  Times. 

“ Will  appeal  especially  to  the  intelligent  American  reader  who 
desires  to  get  into  closer  touch  with  the  Mikado's  Empire.”  — Review 
of  Reviews,  New  York. 

“ Alike  for  the  traveller,  the  new  resident,  and  the  reader  at  a dis- 
tance, it  provides  just  the  essential  facts  about  Japanese  life,  public 
and  private,  while  its  well-chosen  bibliography  affords  guidance  for 
further  study.” — The  Churchman,  New  York. 

“ Will  probably  be  for  some  time  to  come  the  authority  in  this 
country  as  to  those  conditions  of  Japan  which  affect  our  interest  in 
her.  . . . It  is  an  admirable  book,  and  the  reader  who  reads  this  from 
beginning  to  end,  especially  the  statistics  and  notes  at  the  close,  can 
say  that  he  knows  Japan  as  a world  power.  The  illustrations  are 
many  and  excellent  ” — Minneapolis  Txmcs. 

“ It  is  no  exaggeration  to  say  that  this  book  probably  contains 
more  practical  information  about  Japan  and  the  Japanese  than  any 
other  volume  of  the  same  size.  This  is  no  disparagement  of  a number 
of  excellent  and  informative  works  written  by  English  and  American 
authors,  but  is  a tribute  to  the  conciseness  of  Mr.  Clement’s  book 
and  the  manner  of  arrangement  Of  all  the  books  published  upon 
Japan  there  is  hardly  one  which  covers  the  same  ground  in  the  same 
way  that  Mr.  Clement’s  book  does.”  — Chicago  Tribune. 


A.  C.  McCLURG  & CO.,  Publishers 


